“The first gift that Adam and Eve received was agency: ‘Thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee’ (Moses 3:17).”

Moral standards cannot be changed by battle and cannot be changed by ballot.

What a wonderful time to be young. You will see events in your lifetime that will test your courage and extend your faith. If you will face the sunlight of truth, the shadows of discouragement and sin and error will fall behind you. You must never give up!

There is little to be gained by seeking after the mysteries, for there is hardly time in a lifetime to master the plain and precious things.

Some things that are true are not very useful.

In a sense, speaking figuratively, to take one’s agency, that precious gift which the scriptures make plain is essential to life itself, and say, “I will do as you direct,” is afterward to learn that in so doing you possess it all the more.

Hit the ‘delete’ button when you have unrighteous thoughts.

If the word is tolerance, grab that one, too, saying, “I expect you to be tolerant of my lifestyle-obedience, integrity, abstinence, repentance.” If the word is choice, tell them you choose good, old-fashioned morality.

Somewhere there is a message in the protest of the man who said, “You can’t tell me that worry doesn’t help. The things I worry about never happen.”

It is in the ordinances of the temple that we are placed under covenant to Him….[If] we will enter into our covenants without reservation or apology, the Lord will protect us. We will receive inspiration sufficient for the challenges of life.

Joseph’s vision of the Father and the Son opened this dispensation. Then came the Restoration of the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ with the same organization that existed in the primitive Church, built upon the foundation of apostles and prophets.

Despite the opposition, trials, and temptations, you need not fail or fear.

Arms now empty will be filled and hearts now hurting from broken dreams and yearning will be healed.

There is also an age-old excuse: “The devil made me do it.” Not so! He can deceive you and mislead you, but he does not have the power to force you or anyone else to transgress or to keep you in transgression.

Latter-day Saints are not obedient because they are compelled to be obedient. They are obedient because they know certain spiritual truths and have decided, as an expression of their own individual agency, to obey the commandments of God. . . .

Life moves all too fast. When you feel weak, discouraged, depressed, or afraid, open the Book of Mormon and read.

Throughout your life there may be times when you have gone places you never should have gone and done things you never should have done.