"I Thank the Savior" (~how I miss Elder Maxwell)

 

Part of God's "ample provision" consists of imperfect people like you and me,

committed to shining and serving in our appointed orbits, knowing all the while that we are encircled "in the arms of His love".

Elder Maxwell

Truly converted disciples, though still imperfect, will pursue "the life of the soul" on any day, in any decade, amid any decadence and destruction.

Elder Maxwell

There are clusters of memories embedded in each of your lives. And these can help us to

"remember how merciful the Lord hath been."

Elder Maxwell

"By utilizing the Atonement, we access the gifts of the Holy Ghost, which 'filleth with hope and perfect love'"

Elder Maxwell

Thus within the discipleship allotted to us, we are to overcome the world to finish the work we personally have been given to do; to be able to partake of a bitter cup without becoming bitter; to experience pouring out our souls; to let our wills increasingly be swallowed up in the will of the Father; to acknowledge—tough though the tutoring trials—that, indeed, "All these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good", and to plow enduringly to the end of the furrow—all the while glorifying Him and using the matchless gifts He has given us, including, one day, all that He has.

Elder Maxwell

Perplexing things will still happen, but, like Nephi,

we can still know that God loves us,

a . . . fact which can and will sustain us through so much!

Elder Maxwell

I testify to you that God has known you individually, for a long, long time. He has loved you for a long, long time. He not only knows the names of all the stars; He knows your names and all your heartaches and your joys! By the way, you have never seen an immortal star; they finally expire. But seated by you tonight are immortal individuals—imperfect but who are, nevertheless, "trying to be like Jesus"!

In His name, even Jesus Christ, amen.

Elder Maxwell

"The Lord knows our bearing capacity, both as to coping and to comprehending, and He will not give us more to bear than we can manage at the moment, though to us it may seem otherwise. Just as no temptations will come to us from which we cannot escape or which we cannot bear,

we will not be given more trials than we can sustain."

Neal A. Maxwell

"C. S. Lewis pointed out that some people are angry with God for His not existing, and others for His existing but for failing to do as mortals would have Him do. Instead of such childishness, we are urged to know

God and to learn of His attributes."

Elder Maxwell

"Sometimes we are so busy being the hammer or the anvil,

that we forget who really needs the shaping."

Elder Maxwell

"Those of little faith mistake local cloud cover for general darkness. Keeping spiritually intact results in our keeping precious perspective by seeing

'things as they really are.'

Elder Maxwell

"Trials and tribulations tend to squeeze the artificiality out of us,

leaving the essence of what we really are and clarifying what we really yearn for."

Elder Maxwell

"It is only by yielding to God that we can begin to realize His will for us. And if we truly trust God, why not yield to

His loving omniscience? After all, He knows us and our possibilities much better than do we.

Elder Maxwell

"Those who believe for a while make only a brief tour in the kingdom, though thereafter they often feel qualified to inform those who know even less about the Church; but the fact is they were really only tourists

— not natives who really knew the kingdom's countryside."

Elder Maxwell

 "The strait and narrow path, though clearly marked, is a path, not a freeway nor an escalator. Indeed, there are times when the only way the strait and narrow path can be followed is on one's knees! And we are to help each other along the path."

Elder Maxwell

"Think of it, brothers and sisters, even with their extensive longevity, stars are not immortal. But you are."

Elder Maxwell

The astonishing work of God is greater than the known universe.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell

"As we look at the universe, we do not see unexplained chaos or cosmic churning,"

"It is like viewing a divinely choreographed, cosmic ballet spectacular,

subduing and reassuring."

Elder Maxwell

"When our minds really catch hold of the significance of Jesus' atonement, the world's hold on us loosens."

Elder Maxwell

"I thank the Savior personally; for bearing all which I added to His hemorrhaging at every pore for all humanity in Gethsemane. I thank Him for bearing what I added to the decibels of His piercing soul cry atop Calvary."

Elder Maxwell

There's a comforting thought at the close of the day

Touching Shoulders

There's a comforting thought at the close of the day

When I'm weary and lonely and sad;

That sort of grips hold of this my heart

And bids it be merry and glad.

It gets in my soul, and drives out the blues

And finally thrills through and through,

It's just a sweet memory, that chants this refrain,

"I'm glad I touched shoulders with you."

Did you know you were brave?

Did you know you were strong?

Did you know there was one leaning hard?

Did you know that I waited, and listened and prayed?

And was cheered by your simplest word.

Did you know that I longed for the smile on your face?

For the sound of your voice ringing true,

Did you know I grew stronger and better because

"I had merely touched shoulders with you ".

I'm glad that I live, that I battle and strive,

For a place that I know I must fill;

I'm thankful for sorrows, I'll meet with a grin

What fortune may bring, good or ill;

I may not have wealth, I may not be great

But I know I will always be true,

For I have in my life, that courage you gave,

When once, "I touched shoulders with you!"

It must become part of us

"Our joy now and forever is inextricably tied to our capacity to love."

John H. Groberg

"Being filled with God's love is the most joyous of all things and is worth every cost."

John H. Groberg

"Things are how they are, and complaining doesn't help."

John H. Groberg

" 'Charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.
" 'Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love'

John H. Groberg

"Never underestimate the power of true love, for it knows no barriers."

John H. Groberg

"There is great power in loving, consistent, fervent family prayer. Don't deny your families this blessing. Don't allow the strength that comes from family prayer to slip away from you and your loved ones through neglect.

John H. Groberg

"The more we obey God, the more we desire to help others. The more we help others, the more we love God and on and on. Conversely, the more we disobey God and the more selfish we are, the less love we feel.
"Trying to find lasting love without obeying God is like trying to quench thirst by drinking from an empty cup you can go through the motions, but the thirst remains. Similarly, trying to find love without helping and sacrificing for others is like trying to live without eating it is against the laws of nature and cannot succeed. We cannot fake love. It must become part of us."

John H. Groberg

"Satan wants to claim our souls and those of our children. He wants our marriages and our families to fail. He wants darkness to reign. Despite these, we needn't worry or back away from our duty to our family (present or future), our community, or others, for God will always support and bless us in our honest efforts

To do His will. He wants us to succeed more than Satan wants us to fail- and God is always more powerful."
— John H. Groberg

"There is a connection between heaven and earth. Finding that connection gives meaning to everything, including death. Missing it makes everything meaningless, including life."

— John H. Groberg

"Sometimes God calms the storm and sometimes He calms his child."
— John H. Groberg

"All of us, single or married, are eternally part of some family—someway, somewhere, somehow—and much of our joy in life comes as we correctly recognize and properly develop those family relationships. We come to this earth charged with a mission: to learn to love and serve one another. To best help us accomplish this, God has placed us in families, for he knows that is where we can best learn to overcome selfishness and pride and to sacrifice for others and to make happiness and helpfulness and humility and love the very essence of our character."

John H. Groberg

"When filled with God's love, we can do and see and understand things that we could not otherwise do or see or understand. Filled with His love, we can endure pain, quell fear, forgive freely, avoid contention, renew strength, and bless and help others in ways surprising even to us."

John H. Groberg

"When we understand who God is, who we are, how He loves us, and what His plan is for us, fear evaporates."

John H. Groberg

"One of the strongest connections we have with our premortal life is how much our Father and Jesus loved us and how much we loved Them."

John H. Groberg

"Our Father in Heaven wants us to have strong, loving families. One of the great helps he has given us to achieve this is family prayer. . . .

"Of course, our prayers must be more than words, for as President Marion G. Romney has so clearly stated, 'The efficacy of our prayers depends on how we care for one another.'  Family prayer is fully effective, then, only as we rise from our knees and, with increased love and understanding, take better care of each other."

John H. Groberg