(4/19/99)
"I bear witness to you that those who hold the apostolic calling may,
and
do, know of the reality of the mission of the Lord. To know is to be
born and
quickened in the inner man." — Harold B. Lee, "Stand Ye In Holy
Places," p.65
(7/22/99)
"Why does God, if He truly loves his children, permit Satan to tempt us
and
thereby jeopardize our chances to gain the experiences of mortality and
return
back to enjoy eternal life in His presence? The answer is given by a
great
prophet-teacher: 'Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should
act for
himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be
that he was
enticed by the one [which is evil] or the other [which is good]' (2 Nephi 2:16). You
think about
that for a moment. If there were no opposition to good, would there be
any
chance to exercise your agency or right to choose? To deny you that
privilege
would be to deny you the opportunity to grow in knowledge, experience,
and
power. God has given laws with penalties affixed so that man might be
made
afraid of sin and guided into paths of truth and duty (see Alma 42:20)."
—
"The Teachings of Harold B. Lee"
(12/22/99)
"If you want to know what the Lord would have the Saints know and to
have
his guidance and direction for the next six months, get a copy of the
proceedings of ... conference, and you will have the latest word of the
Lord as
far as the Saints are concerned." — "Closing
Remarks," General Conference, October 1973
(12/23/99)
"If there is any one thing most needed in this time of tumult and
frustration, when men and women and youth and young adults are
desperately
seeking for answers to the problems which afflict mankind, it is an
'iron rod'
as a safe guide along the straight path on the way to eternal life,
amidst the
strange and devious roadways that would eventually lead to destruction
and to
the ruin of all that is 'virtuous, lovely, or of good report.'" —
"The Iron Rod," General Conference,
April 1971
(12/24/99)
"When we become conscious of the fact that there is no time limit upon
the
saving principles and powers of the Gospel but that they may be drawn
upon to
meet the problems of today and tomorrow, as well as of the Hereafter,
we will
then become the people who will be the light of the world." —
"Conference Report," October 1941,
p. 110
(12/25/99)
"And so today there is no shadow of doubting in my mind that I know the
reality of the person who is presiding over this church, our Lord and
Master,
Jesus Christ. I know that He is closer to us than many times we have
any idea.
He and the Father are not an absentee Lord and Father. They are
concerned about
us, helping to prepare us for the advent of the Savior, whose coming
certainly
isn't too far away because of the signs that are becoming apparent."
— "Stand Ye In Holy Places," p.189-190
(12/26/99)
"The ultimate decisions concerning our lives on this earth are not ours
but
are His. God is not through with this earth and with us yet. This earth
and
ourselves are not going to be wiped off in a moment until God is ready
and all
His purposes have been realized. So we must strive for a degree in the
'University of Spirituality,' as we seek for advance degrees in secular
fields." — "BYU Speeches,"
May 4, 1965, p. 6
(12/27/99)
"May the Lord put within each of us the determination to put our lives
in
order, to the end that we too may know with a 'certainty that succeeds
doubt'
that God does live, and that through the glorious mission of our Lord
and
Savior, we too can live again in that realm where God and Christ dwell
-- to
obtain which is to attain eternal life." — "Conference
Report," April 1969, p. 133
(12/28/99)
"There are sure guides to truth if church members will use them. The
Church
is a continuing revolution against any and all norms of society that
fall below
the gospel standards. Within the gospel of Jesus Christ may be found
the
solution to every problem confronting us that will enable us to find
happiness
here and eternal life in the world to come." —
"Conference Report," April 1966, p. 64
(1/17/02)
"I realize that in the face of violence, immorality, uncleanliness,
war,
and other evils of modern life, there may be a tendency to become
discouraged. I
say to you, my young brothers and sisters, don't give up! The gospel of
Jesus
Christ has answers to all these problems, and you have the
responsibility and
charge to stand firm; so enjoy your youth, but 'put on the whole armour
of God'
and resist those things of the world that will destroy your testimony
and your
chance to accomplish a great work here. " — Harold B. Lee,
"Message
from the First Presidency," Ensign, Jan. 1971, p. 2
(10/20/02)
"But now may I call your attention to one significant fact concerning
the
armor with which you now have been clothed. You have no armor
whatsoever to
protect you from the rear. Does this suggest yet another quality
essential to
this eternal conflict with 'spiritual wickedness in high places'?
Evidently no
one can win this battle running from the enemy. The contest must be
face to
face. There must be no retreat. So came the clear-ringing counsel of
the First
Presidency to our boys during the last World War: 'Boys, keep
yourselves clean!
Better die clean than to come home unclean.' Courage and determination
and
continual aggressiveness to the right are the essential qualities for
the battle
of life, else all the armor in the world suggested for our protection
would be
of no avail. Thus equipped within and without, we are now ready."
—
Harold B. Lee, "Stand Ye In Holy Places," pp. 332-333
3/9/03
"Great reservoirs of spiritual water, called scriptures, have been
provided
in this day and have been safeguarded that all might partake and be
spiritually
fed, and that they thirst not. That these scriptures have been
considered of
great importance, is indicated by the words of the Savior, 'Search the
scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are
they which
testify of me' (John 5:39); and the experience of the Nephites being
sent back
to procure the brass plates which contained the scriptures so vital to
the
welfare of the people. The use of those scriptures was suggested in the
statement of Nephi when he said, '...for I did liken all scriptures
unto us,
that it might be for our profit and learning.' (1 Nephi 19:23)"
— Harold B. Lee, "Conference Report,"
October 1943, p. 101
3/12/03
"So important in the Father's plan of salvation are the scriptures that
incidents are recorded wherein God commanded the taking of life to
obtain
possession of precious writings without which His children would
stumble and be
blinded by the darkness of the world, but with which they could be
likened to
the people of the scriptures for their profit and learning." — Harold
B. Lee, "The Teachings of Harold
B. Lee," edited by Clyde J. Williams [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1996],
p.
152
3/23/03
"Next to life itself, free agency is God's greatest gift to mankind,
providing thereby the greatest opportunity for the children of God to
advance in
this second estate of mortality." — Harold
B. Lee, "Stand Ye in Holy Places," [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co.,
1974], p. 235
4/1/03
"The fact that you are here in this mortal existence is an evidence
that
you accepted our Heavenly Father's plan and entered into covenant with
Him to
keep His commandments in return for which you were to be given a
glorified place
in His kingdom. One-third of all those in the spirit world before you
came to
this earth were cast out because they refused the gift of this
education in the
'University of Mortality' on the terms provided. They are the tempters
who, like
yourselves, have their free agency and are endeavoring to persuade you
to 'eat,
drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die' (2 Nephi 28:7) and
thus be
miserable like themselves. Whatever may be the ratio of evil spirits to
every
human soul one thing is certain, that the power of temptation is
great." — Harold B. Lee, "The Teachings of Harold
B. Lee," edited by Clyde J. Williams [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1996],
p.
43
(5/12/03)
"Just as a university course is limited as to time,... so our days here
in
mortal life are limited to an average normal span of years.... You are
building
today the castles you will live in throughout eternity and deciding the
place
you will occupy in your Father's business hereafter. There is joy in
heaven when
you who are failing reform your ways and return to a standard of
activity that
assures your success. There will be mourning in heaven if you fail in
life's
education, but there is nothing your Heavenly Father can do about it
unless you
open the door by prayer and the living of a good life and invite him to
counsel
with you." — Harold B. Lee,
"Decisions for Successful Living," [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co.,
1973], p. 86
(5/23/03)
"Opposed to God's plan of eternal happiness for every human soul is
Satan's
plan that ends in remorse and awful remembrance of all our guilt in
that day of
judgment." — Harold B. Lee,
"Decisions for Successful Living," [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co.,
1973], p. 153-154
(7/6/03)
"Since the resurrection of the Savior on the first day of the week,
this
day has been commemorated as the Lord's day, or the one day in seven on
which
man should rest from his labors. But Sunday is more than a day of rest
from the
ordinary occupations of the week. It is not to be considered as merely
a day of
lazy indolence and idleness or for physical pleasures and indulgences.
It is a
feastday for your spirit bodies. The place of spiritual feasting is in
the house
of worship. Here you find fellowship with those who like yourselves are
seeking
spiritual nourishment. You are enjoined to sing and pray and pay your
devotions
to the Most High, and partake of the holy sacrament as a reminder of
your
obligations as a son or daughter of God here in mortality and in
remembrance of
the atonement of the Savior and to pledge again your loyalty to his
name."
-- Harold B. Lee, "Decisions for Successful Living," [Salt Lake City:
Deseret Book Co., 1973], p. 146
(7/25/03)
"If we fail to teach chastity, we will reduce the number of temple
marriages, and if we reduce the number of temple marriages, we will
reduce the
number of truly Latter-day Saint homes. Of course, we realize that
simply going
to the temple without proper preparation in every way does not bring
the
blessings we seek. Eternal marriage rests on a maturity and commitment
that—with
the endowment and ordinances—can open the gates of heaven for
many blessings
to flow to us.
"To help our youth abide by the principles involved in temple marriage, we must help them to understand that temple marriage is more than just a place where the ceremony occurs; it is a whole orientation to life and marriage and home. It is a culmination of building attitudes toward the Church, chastity, and about our personal relationship with God—and many other things. Thus, simply preaching temple marriage is not enough. Our family home evenings, seminaries, institutes, and auxiliaries must build toward this goal, not by exhortation alone but by showing that the beliefs and attitudes involved in temple marriage are those which can bring the kind of life here and in eternity that most humans really want for themselves. Properly done, we can show the difference between the 'holy and the profane' so that the powerful, natural instincts of motherhood are decisive in the young woman who wavers between those holy instincts and the path of pleasure-seeking. With real judgment and combined curricular effort, we can show the young man that the way of the world—however much it gets glamorized and regardless of how clever its Casanovas appear—is the way of sadness; it is the way which will finally frustrate those deep inner yearnings he has for hearth and home and the joys of fatherhood.
"We will need to show the way to temple marriage with enough honest and plain speaking so that when our youth are persuaded, they can outlast those circumstances they may be in, such as being away at college or in the military, which do not offer them eligible partners; they will know that temple marriage is worth waiting for!" — "Teachings of Harold B. Lee," p. 244
(8/16/03)
"I read something a while ago that started me thinking along this line.
It
was that when a man leans to his own understanding and boasts by his
own
strength—when he boasts of probing the mysteries of the atom
or the depth of
the sea or the secrets of outer space—he forgets God and
claims he is his
own master, [and] the result is untold suffering. Even though one's
position is
maintained, even though material wealth increases, a success quickly
turns to
failure when God has been forgotten. There is no peace of mind, no
personal
satisfaction of inward joy. To 'trust in the Lord with all thine heart'
(Proverbs 3:5) is a mark of strength and is the only path to happiness,
success,
and true fulfillment." — "The Teachings of Harold B. Lee,"
Edited by Clyde J. Williams, [Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft, 1996],
p. 620
(9/30/03)
"In the Old Testament the Prophet Amos, you remember, said, 'Surely the
Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants
the
prophets.' (Amos 3:7.)
I wish
you would remember that. That is just as true today as it was then, but
it has
been restated today. Keep your eye fixed upon the prophet of your
dispensation,
for God is not going to do anything except He reveals it through the
prophet
whom He appoints in your day and mine." - Harold B. Lee, "Be Ye Not
Deceived," "BYU Speeches of the Year," 1965, p. 6
(10/12/03)
"When the full measure of Elijah's mission is understood-that the
hearts
of the children will be turned to the fathers, and the fathers to the
children-it applies just as much on this side of the veil as it
does to the
other side of the veil (see Malachi
4:5-6). If we neglect our families here in having family home night
and we
fail in our responsibility here, how would heaven look if we lost some
of those
through our own neglect? Heaven would not be heaven until we have done
everything we can to save those whom the Lord has sent through our
lineage. So,
the hearts of you fathers and mothers must be turned to your children
right now,
if you have the true Spirit of Elijah, and not think that it applies
merely to
those who are beyond the veil. Let your hearts be turned to your
children, and
teach your children; but you must do it when they are young enough to
be
schooled. And if you are neglecting your family home evening, you are
neglecting
the beginning of the mission of Elijah just as certainly as if you were
neglecting your research work of genealogy." - "Teachings of Harold B.
Lee," p. 281
(11/29/03)
"You will note that this statement makes no distinction as to whether
it be
labeled as religion, philosophy, science, or politics, or ugly dress
patterns of
today, or of the world of so-called entertainment." - Harold B. Lee,
"General Conference Reports," October 1968, p. 60
(9/5/04)
"Ye are the light of the world; a city set upon a hill" (see Matt.
5:14). What does that mean? Well, a commentary on this scripture says:
'The
disciples are to be the light of the world, being the representatives
of Him who
is the world's true Light. They are to enlighten it as its teachers,
and also by
the examples of their lives. They are contemplated not as individuals
but as a
visible society, or Church. The old city set on a hill was Jerusalem.
This was
shortly to be trodden under the foot of men as having lost its savour.'
(J. R.
Dummelow, ed., A Commentary on the Holy Bible [New York: Macmillan,
1936], p.
641.)
"Just so today, any Latter-day Saint in Church circles, in military service, in social life, or in the business community is looked upon not just as an individual, but as the visible Church today. Someone has said: 'Be careful how you act, because you may be the only standard Church work some people may ever read.'"
"The Teachings of Harold B. Lee," edited by Clyde J. Williams [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1996], p. 588
(10/3/04)
"It was the Master who replied in answer to the question as to how one
might know of him and his doctrine: 'If any man will do his will, he
shall
know.' (John 7:17.)
Would
you think an authority on science to be one who had never experimented
in a
laboratory? Would you give much heed to the comments of a music critic
who did
not know music or an art critic who didn't paint? Just so, one like
yourself who
would 'know God' must be one who does his will and keeps his
commandments and
practices the virtues Jesus lived?" - Harold B. Lee, "Decisions for
Successful Living," [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1973], p. 39-40
10/31/04
"Well might we ponder the source which could be ours if we keep
ourselves
worthy. [The source of which I speak is] our Lord and Master ([He was]
my
consolation on a night over thirty years ago when I faced the greatest
challenge
of my life). 'For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched
with the
feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we
are, yet
without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace,
that we may
obtain mercy, and find grace to help [us] in [our] time of need.' (Hebrews
4:15-16.) Those timeless words should be written upon the tablets
of our
hearts: to likewise give us courage to withstand in our time of need."
-
Harold B. Lee, "The Teachings of Harold B. Lee," edited by Clyde J.
Williams [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1996], p. 190
11/10/04
"Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, the only means by
which
man can accept the gospel, as an earthly ordinance, and so in the Plan
of
Salvation, our Father, with equal consideration for all his children,
has
provided a way for all members of his Church and Kingdom on the earth
to be
'saviors on Mt. Zion' by performing a vicarious work in behalf of those
in the
world of spirits, 'the prison house,' that they could not perform for
themselves. This work for the dead performed in holy temples by members
of the
Church does in reality make of them who do this work 'saviors' to those
who have
died without a knowledge of the gospel, for thereby they may claim the
complete
gift of the Savior promised to all mankind through his atonement.
Reference to
that service that may be rendered for those in the spirit world, as it
was
undoubtedly being performed by the saints in the days of the Apostle
Paul and
which we can now perform for our own dead, was given by him as an
argument in
proof of the resurrection. Said he: "Else what shall they do which are
baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then
baptized
for the dead?" (I
Corinthians 15:29.) Temples in this day have been built in which
this work
so essential to the work of salvation might again be performed." - Harold
B. Lee, "Decisions for Successful Living" [Salt Lake City: Deseret
Book Co., 1973], p. 118-119
11/25/04
"In order that the young, vigorous and inquiring minds of youth in all
ages
might have a standard and an unfailing guide by which to measure all
learning
and thus be able to sift the golden kernels of truth from the chaff of
delusion
and untruth, we have had the scriptures from the beginning which were
given 'by
inspiration of God, and (are) profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may
be
perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.' (2
Tim. 3:16-17.) So the Master counseled us to search the scriptures,
for in
them we would find the way to eternal life, for they testify of the way
men must
travel to gain eternal life with him and with 'the Father which hath
sent
(him).' (John 5:30.)"
- Harold B. Lee, "Decisions for Successful Living" [Salt Lake
City: Deseret Book Co., 1973], pp. 189-190
(12/27/04)
"If there is any one thing most needed in this time of tumult and
frustration, when men and women and youth and young adults are
desperately
seeking for answers to the problems which afflict mankind, it is an
'iron rod'
as a safe guide along the straight path on the way to eternal life,
amidst the
strange and devious roadways that would eventually lead to destruction
and to
the ruin of all that is 'virtuous, lovely, or of good report.'" -
Harold B.
Lee, "The
Iron Rod," Ensign, June 1971, p. 7
(1/11/05)
"Brethren of the priesthood, in your own circle, in your own home, in
your
own lives, you must do all you can of your own free will, and bring to
pass much
righteousness. Our job and your job, my job, is to look after the man
behind the
one in front of you. That is a little difficult for some people to
figure out.
And when you find out that one, and put him in line, then you are
prepared to go
out and search for the other ones. I pray that the Lord may help you to
find out
that one and put him in line, then you are prepared to go [for] others
round
about you, and we will be on our way to a glorious future." - Harold B.
Lee, "Today's
Young People," Ensign, June 1971, p. 62
(1/31/05)
"There comes back to us more clearly than ever before the application
of
the words of the Master as he closed his Sermon on the Mount, that only
that
person or that church (meaning a congregation of individuals, of
course) which
will stand through these testing years, will be that which is founded
upon the
rock, as the Master declared, by hearing and obeying the fundamental
and
never-changing principles upon which the true church is founded, when
the winds
of delusion blow, or when the floods of filth and wickedness engulf us,
or when
the rains of criticism or derision are rained down upon those who are
holding
fast to the truth." - Harold B. Lee, "Watch,
That Ye May Be Ready," Ensign, Dec. 1971, pp. 29-30
6/20/06
"But do not suppose that a strict observance of the law of the Sabbath
is alone sufficient to keep your spiritual bodies in good health. Every
day of the week must give nourishment to your spiritual selves. Family
and secret prayers, the reading of the scriptures, love in your homes
and unselfish daily service to others are manna from heaven to feed
your souls. Observance of the weekly Family Home Evening is another
strong force for righteousness in the home." - "Teachings Of Presidents
Of The Church: Harold B. Lee," p.175
8/13/06
"Not many have seen the Savior face to face here in mortality, but
there is no one of us who has been blessed to receive the gift of the
Holy Ghost after baptism but that may have a perfect assurance of His
existence as though we had seen. Indeed, if we have faith in the
reality of His existence even though we have not seen, as the Master
implied in His statement to Thomas, even greater is the blessing to
those who 'have not seen, and yet have believed' (John 20:29), for
'we walk by faith, not by sight' (2 Corinthians 5:7).
Although not seeing, yet believing, we rejoice with joy unspeakable in
receiving the end of our faith, even the salvation of our souls (see 1 Peter 1:8-9)." -
"Teachings Of Presidents Of The Church: Harold B. Lee," p.37
9/29/06
"If you want to know what the Lord has for this people at the present
time, I would admonish you to get and read the discourses that have
been delivered at this conference; for what these brethren have spoken
by the power of the Holy Ghost is the mind of the Lord, the will of the
Lord, the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation. I am
sure all who have listened, if they have been in tune, have felt the
sincerity and the deep conviction from those who have spoken so
appropriately and so effectively." - Harold B. Lee, "Stand
Ye in Holy Places," Ensign (CR), July 1973, p.121
1/25/07
"The Lord has told us, 'Behold, there are many called, but few are
chosen' (D&C 121:34),
and then in the same revelation points out two reasons why men fail of
their blessings. The first reason he gives is that their hearts are set
so much upon the things of this world, and the second is that they
aspire so much to the honors of men. So then as Church members let us
beware lest we set our hearts upon the things of this world and lest we
aspire so much to the honors of men that we compromise our standards.
If we do so, we will be cut off in the Day of Judgment and will lose
our blessings. Our reward for daring to live the gospel despite the
oppositions from the outside world will be to have blessings added upon
our heads forever and forever." - Harold B. Lee, "The Teachings of
Harold B. Lee," edited by Clyde J. Williams, p.167
1/30/07
"Lets face it. All of us have done something that we ought not to have
done, or we have neglected to do things we should have done. All of us
then have made mistakes, and every one of us needs to repent. The old
devil would have you believe that if you have made one mistake, why
don't you just keep on making mistakes? That is Satan trying to tell
you that there is no chance to come back. But you must turn your face
towards the rising sun, and through repentance turn from the thing you
have done that is wrong and never go back again thereto. The Lord said,
'Go [thy way] and sin no more; but unto that soul who sinneth [meaning
again] shall the former sins return, saith the Lord your God' (D&C 82:7)." -
"Teachings Of Presidents Of The Church: Harold B. Lee," p.27
2/5/07
"I bear you my witness in all humility that if your children and my
children, our grandchildren, and our great-grandchildren remain
faithful to this church, it will be because you and I remained
steadfast in the testimony that these men [the First Presidency and the
Twelve] are the prophets of the living God and that we must follow
their counsel if we would be saved in the days of peril. Therefore,
'stand ye in holy places, and be not moved' (D&C 87:8), that we
might abide the day of the coming of the Son of Man and be caught up in
the clouds of heaven to meet our Redeemer when He comes on earth to
reign, and reign with Him a thousand years with our children and the
redeemed of our Father's house. - Harold B. Lee, "The Teachings of
Harold B. Lee," edited by Clyde J. Williams, p.521
4/4/07
"This year is again a most important year of decision for our day. Some
have even said that this is the most critical period in the history of
this nation and of the world.
"I believe it is an illusion to say that this is the most critical,
decisive time. Write it upon the hearts of all of us that every
dispensation has been just as decisive, and likewise that every year
has been the most decisive year and time for ourselves, for this
nation, and for the world. This is our day and time when honorable men
must be brought forward to meet the tremendous challenges before us." -
Harold B. Lee, "A
Time of Decision," Ensign (CR), July 1972, p.29
7/16/07
"A few years ago a prominent university professor joined the Church.
When I asked him to speak before a group of New York businessmen and to
explain why he had joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, he said to these men, 'I'll tell you why I joined this church.
I came to a time in my life when my heart told me things that my mind
did not know. Then it was that I knew the gospel was true.'
"When we understand more than we know with our minds, when we
understand with our hearts, then we know that the Spirit of the Lord is
working upon us." - Harold B. Lee, "Stand Ye in Holy Places," p. 92
8/14/07
"This 'religion'—with its powers, with the keys, with the
ordinances and principles of salvation—has been on this earth
from the very beginning. Indeed, the plan was laid in the heavens
before the foundations of this earth were laid. It is an everlasting
covenant. It is the gospel which did not begin with the coming of the
Savior upon the earth, and we accept the challenge and ours is the
proud and great responsibility to teach this to the nations of the
earth, that down through time the priesthood—the power of God on
earth—the saving ordinances of the gospel have been on the earth.
It is true that in the past dispensations of the gospel, the
organization of the Church in the completeness with which we have it
today has not been here upon the earth. Today in the dispensation of
the fulness of times we have all that has been given in any other
dispensation plus things which have been hidden from all other
dispensations, revealed to us in this, the dispensation of the fulness
of times." - "The Teachings of Harold B. Lee," edited by Clyde J.
Williams, p.374
5/18/09
“Now there's one more way by which revelations may
come, and that is by dreams. Oh, I'm not going to tell you that every
dream you have is a direct revelation from the Lord. But I fear
that in this age of sophistication there are those of us who are prone
to rule out all dreams as of no purpose, and of no moment. And yet all
through the scriptures there were recorded incidents where the Lord, by
dreams, has directed His people.” – “Teachings Of Presidents Of The Church: Harold B.
Lee,” p. 47
7/11/09
“A child's heritage is his birthright and the
privileges and possessions with which he is born, and is his usually as
the result of the labors and sacrifices of the generations that have
preceded him. Every soul who is true to the uplifting ideals and
standards of his progenitors, honors his father and mother and inherits
the blessings of a good name and security on this earth, but he
dishonors his father and mother who thinks and acts below the spiritual
and cultural standards marked out and lived by them.” –
“The Teachings of Harold B. Lee,” edited by Clyde J.
Williams, p. 633
9/15/09
“We must try to reach even those who are unconcerned.
If we seek to follow the adjuration of the Lord to an ancient
priesthood leader to ‘teach my people the difference between the
holy and profane’ (Ezekiel 44:23), this will take leaders of both
faith and skill. The definition of the word profane means not only
impure but a lack of concern with spiritual things. Much of the world
today is not explicitly hostile to the things of God so much as they
are simply ‘unconcerned.’ They are like those John
upbraided whose attitude was: ‘I am rich, and increased with
goods, and have need of nothing’ (Revelation 3:17). It takes
skill as well as testimony to reach people so unconcerned.”
–
“The Teachings of Harold B. Lee,” edited by
Clyde J. Williams, p. 598
2/9/10
“During my lifetime I have learned much about reproving with
sharpness, ‘when moved upon by the Holy Ghost’ (D&C
121:43). And I have learned something else: that the higher the
position or duty of the stewardship, there is the greater danger of
wounding sensitive souls. We must always reach out for the wounded soul
whom we may have offended, and unintentionally in some cases, lest he
esteem us to be his enemy. I have learned that sincere appreciation for
accomplishment should always precede any supposed criticism.”
–
“The Teachings of Harold B. Lee,” edited by
Clyde J. Williams, p. 199
3/18/10
“One fast day in my own ward I listened to a young
university student who declared his faith after the experiences he had
been having at school. He said something to the effect that when he had
announced to some of his friends that he was going to take some courses
in philosophy at the university, they had said, ‘Oh, don't you do
it. Stay out of those courses, because almost everyone who goes to
those classes loses his faith.’
“However, he said he didn't heed their warning. He was like many other young people: if you want them to take a course, tell them not to do it. Out of curiosity he wanted to see what it was that destroyed faith, and out of his experience, he made this rather interesting observation:
“‘I found that course in philosophy intensely interesting, but I found there was one danger-that it caused doubts, and when those doubts were aggravated by inactivity in the Church, they then resulted in loss of faith and a moving away from the gospel of Jesus Christ. My safety was in continuing to study the gospel of Jesus Christ.’” – “Ye Are the Light of the World: Selected Sermons and Writings of Harold B. Lee”
4/11/10
"A testimony must be renewed daily. Testimony is as elusive as a
moonbeam; it's as fragile as an orchid; you have to recapture it every
morning of your life. You have to hold on by study, and by faith, and
by prayer. If you allow yourself to be angry, if you allow yourself to
get into the wrong kind of company, you listen to the wrong kind of
stories, you are studying the wrong kind of subjects, you are engaging
in sinful practices, there is nothing that will be more deadening as to
take away the Spirit of the Lord from you until it will be as though
you had walked from a lighted room when you go out of this building, as
though you had gone out into a darkness." -
"The Teachings of Harold B. Lee," edited by Clyde J. Williams, p. 139
5/15/10
"While we are in the world, we must not be of the world. Any
attempts being made by the schools or places of entertainment to flaunt
sexual perversions, which can do nothing but excite to experimentation,
must find among the priesthood in this church a vigorous and
unrelenting defense through every lawful means that can be employed." -
Harold B. Lee, "Admonitions for the Priesthood of God," Ensign (CR),
January 1973, p. 104
5/25/10
"By involvement [in the Church] we not only contribute service, but we
accelerate our own spirituality by building a deepened and more direct
personal relationship with our Father in Heaven. We are matured
spiritually, so that even when some individuals in the Church fail or
disappoint us, we are not dismayed. We must not overlook the
significance of the Lord's revelation as contained in the Doctrine and
Covenants, section 4: 'Lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his
might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth
salvation to his soul' (D&C 4:4). No one ever sets out to save
someone else's soul without improving his own spiritual standing." - Harold B. Lee, "The Teachings of Harold B. Lee," edited by Clyde J. Williams, p. 179
