(6/06/00)
"I testify to the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I testify that
I
know this is his work. I know he is at the helm. Though there may be
troublous
times ahead of us, we have the absolute assurance of victory. There
may be and
will be "days of darkness and gloominess" as predicted..., but we know
that he whom we serve will see us through. Let us not be content to
call
attention to the predictions made concerning the calamities which are
to befall
the nations, but rather emphasize the glorious promises of final
victory and
peace." — "Conference
Report," October 1932, p. 75
(6/07/00)
"Some of our friends have said we are inclined to worship the General
Authorities. We love them; we listen to their counsel; we thank God
for them;
but they would not permit us to worship them. If we should be so
inclined, they
would be the first to rebuke us. They would doubtless say to us what
the angel
said to John on the Isle of Patmos, when he was about to kneel before
him, 'See
thou do it not: I am thy fellow-servant... worship God.' (Rev.
19:10.)" — "Conference Report," April 1955, p.
80
(6/08/00)
"While we have complete freedom to heed or disregard the promptings of
the
spirit or the teachings of the prophets, let us always remember that
we must
abide the consequences of our choice." — "Conference
Report," April 1960, p. 54
(6/09/00)
"It has been claimed that God was without form, even though the holy
Scriptures teach that God created man in his own image. In fact, we
are told by
Paul the apostle that Jesus Christ was in the express image of his
Father. Are
we then created in the image of a formless entity? For us, God is not
an
abstraction. He is not an idea, a metaphysical principle, an
impersonal force or
power. He is a concrete, living person. And though in our human
frailty we
cannot know the total mystery of his being, we know that he is akin to
us, for
he is revealed to us in the divine personality of his Son, Jesus
Christ, and he
is, in fact, our Father." — "Conference
Report," April 1969, p. 51
(6/10/00)
"Behold the Christ who knew all human sickness, that he might have
compassion; who was healed and lifted up, that he might have healing
and lifting
power; who was glorified in the presence of the Father, that he might
glorify
the Father by glorifying us." — "Conference
Report," April 1967, p. 51
(5/22/03)
"Obedience involves self-restraint and self-control. One may find
temporary
pleasure in the gratification of an appetite, in the indulgence of
desire, but
lasting joy comes only to the man who is willing to pay the price of
self-denial. To achieve self-realization, 'Everything worth while in
life must
be bought and paid for by giving up some habits and indulgences which
are
irreconcilable to its possession.' 'Wickedness never was happiness.' (Alma
41:10.) Nobody ever
found real or permanent satisfaction in doing wrong." — Hugh B. Brown,
"Continuing the
Quest," [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1961], p. 115-116
(6/22/03)
"When we say man may become like our Father, we do not mean to
humanize
God, but rather to deify man—not as he now is but as he may become.
The
difference between us is indescribably great, but it is one of degree
rather
than of kind." — Hugh B. Brown, "The Eternal Quest," [Salt Lake
City: Bookcraft, 1956], p. 337
(7/21/03)
"The secret of the popularity of Christmas is that it brings peace to
the
minds of millions who, for one day at least, think more of others than
of
themselves, more of giving than of getting. If this formula for
happiness-love
one another-is effective for one day, may it not work at other times,
at all
times? If by giving we receive, and by dividing we increase, why not
make
happiness permanent by carrying the Christmas spirit throughout the
year?"
— Hugh B. Brown, "The Abundant Life," [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft,
1965], p. 135
(7/30/03)
"And so the Master Teacher admonishes us to read the scriptures and
learn
the lessons of life from the word of God. But we must read with more
than mere
academic interest if we are to achieve spiritual growth. We must see in
them
more than a history of the past, more than things, however marvelous,
which were
done for our fathers. The writers of those sacred pages must challenge
our
thinking, renew our aspirations, color and flavor our daily living, and
be an
inspiration in our search for the abundant life." — Hugh B. Brown,
"The Eternal Quest," [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1956], p. 73
8/05/03
"The Lord's estimate of a man's worth is based upon his daily conduct,
what
he is from the center of his heart out. A man's outward appearance and
what he
claims or professes will carry no weight with him, for God looketh upon
the
heart." — Hugh B. Brown, "Continuing the Quest," [Salt Lake
City: Deseret Book Co., 1961], p. 278
(12/19/04)
"To most of us, autumn is a time of thanksgiving, when we acknowledge
the
Source of our blessings, and we kneel before him and give thanks. Our
sincerity
may not be gauged wholly by the words we use, the tone of our voice or
the
regularity of our kneeling.
"If someone does us a great favor, one which we cannot fully repay, we
sometimes express the wish that some day we may have an opportunity to
show our
gratitude in some tangible way. What would our benefactor think of
us-what
should we think of ourselves-if such an opportunity should appear and we
neglected or refused to embrace it? Suppose he should ask us to do some
little
favor for him, something, say one-tenth as valuable as his service to
us, would
we refuse the favor or complain that it was too much or too difficult?
If we
did, we should expect all who knew the facts to list us among the
ingrates, and
in case of future need, embarrassment and shame would make a new appeal
to the
benefactor, if not impossible, at least humiliating and probably
fruitless.
"But the gratitude which is worthy of us will not be prompted by 'a
lively
sense of favors to come'-it should be akin to the charity of which the
apostle
wrote which 'seeketh not itself.' Real gratitude is compounded of many
virtues
and is productive of others. It is to be found among those who were
named by the
Master as 'blessed,' the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, the
pure in
heart, the oppressed. Blessed is he who has a thankful heart and a
contrite
spirit. To him the windows of heaven are opened until he is unable to
contain
his blessings. But it will take more than words to open those windows.
"In spite of our losses, our trials, our hardships, our bereavements,
each
one of us has reason to be thankful for the blessings of the past year."
-
Hugh B. Brown, "The Eternal Quest" [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1956],
p. 208-209
(2/28/05)
"...upon returning to Jerusalem we took it upon ourselves to go again
into
the Garden of Gethsemane. Here it was that Jesus suffered his greatest
anguish.
Here it was that he sweat drops of blood; and as he knelt there in the
garden
alone, his disciples having remained outside, he said, 'O my father, if
it be
possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as
thou
wilt.' (Matt. 26:39.)
I
thought as I stood there and remembered those words, how wonderful it
would be
for all of us if we had the courage and the insight and the fortitude,
whatever
might happen to us, to say, 'Not my will, but thine be done.' That
attitude
makes any burden lighter. It makes any task less difficult." - Hugh B.
Brown, "This
Same
Jesus," Ensign, Dec. 1971, p. 134
(9/7/05)
"If you would be true to yourselves,
would be honest with yourselves, then be obedient to them who are in
authority over you or who have the right to direct your activities.
Obedience is always evidence of strength of character, disobedience
indicates weakness. Obedience is compliance with that which is
required by authority; subjection to rightful restraints.
"The Savior, who is our ideal in all things, not only taught obedience
but exemplified it. He said, 'I come not to do my own will, but the
will of him that sent me.' In Gethsemane he prayed, saying, '....O my
Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not
as I will, but as thou wilt.' (Matt.26:39.)
Thus the Son of God gave us a supreme example of true obedience. He
honored his Father by obeying his will. Obedience is the key to the
kingdom of heaven. He said, 'Not every one that sayeth unto me, Lord,
Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of
my Father which is in heaven.'" - Hugh B. Brown, "Continuing the
Quest" [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1961], p. 227
1/27/06
"The Lord's estimate of a man's worth
is based upon his daily conduct, what he is from the center of his
heart out. A man's outward appearance and what he claims or professes
will carry no weight with him, for God looketh upon the heart. (1
Sam. 16:7.)" - Hugh B. Brown, "Continuing the Quest," p.278
5/23/07
"'Freely ye have received, freely give.' Our most human relationships
are a free gift. The first fact in our childhood was not service
rendered but service received. We did not pay in advance for the
motherhood that bore us and the love that nourished us: All this was
poured out freely: We were the unconscious recipients of unselfish love
that we had never earned. The man of fine quality regards himself as the
recipient of countless blessings which exceed his capacity to pay: he
feels that instead of the world owing him a living he owes the world a
life." - Hugh B. Brown, Continuing the Quest, p.483
8/2/08
"Incidentally, we have often
urged our young people to carry their laughter over into their mature
years. A wholesome sense of humor will be a safety valve that will
enable you to apply the lighter touch to heavy problems and to learn
some lessons in problem solving that 'sweat
and tears' often fail to
dissolve. A line from Proverbs advises us that 'a
merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the
bones.' (Prov. 17:22.)"
- Hugh B. Brown, "Conference Report," April 1968, General
Priesthood Meeting, p.100
2/14/09
"We
do not teach the principle of faith merely for what it will do for one
in the next world. We believe that there is real practical value in
mental concepts which increase one's self-respect and effectiveness here
and now. To believe that there is an all-wise Father in charge of the
universe and that we are related to him, that we are in fact children of
God with the 'hallmark'
of divinity upon us, is to live in a different world from those who
believe that man is a mere animal concerned only with requirements for
creature existence, which must end at death. Because of low aim, the
lives of such people lack trajectory and vision and fall short of their
spiritual capacity."
- Hugh B. Brown, "Conference Report," October 1969, Third
Day—Morning Meeting, p.105
2/23/09
"For
us God is not an abstraction, he is not just an idea, a metaphysical
principle, an impersonal force or power. He is not identical with the
totality of the world, with the sum of all reality. He is not an 'absolute'
that in some way embraces the whole of reality in his being. Like us, he
exists in a world of space and time. Like us, he has ends to be
achieved, and he fashions a cosmic plan for realizing them. He is a
concrete, living person, and though in our finite state we cannot fully
comprehend him, we know that we are akin to him, for he is revealed to
us in the divine personality of his Son Jesus Christ."
-
Hugh B. Brown, "Conference Report," April 1964, Afternoon Meeting,
p.83
7/18/10
"One gets a pessimistic outlook on life
if he relies alone on the
writings of philosophers. We need that vision and inspiration which
come to and through 'holy men of God who spake as they were moved by
the Holy Ghost' if we are to escape the mental down drag of these
unhappy days.
"Contrasted with the juiceless and dusty old straw which some
philosophers would feed to the people, is the life-giving grain
discovered and declared to the world by an ancient optimist and
prophet, 'Men are, that they might have joy.'" - Hugh
B. Brown, "Continuing the Quest," p.344
12/27/11
When in prayerful meditation a man confirms his faith in God and sees
that his world is essentially spiritual, although superficially it seems
to be wholly material. He sees evidence everywhere of plan and purpose
and design; he tries instinctively to relate himself to that plan, to
find his place in the scheme of things. He becomes anxious to bring his
life into harmony with God's will. This necessitates some changes in his
habits. He wishes to forsake the wrong way—evil, the cause of misery—and
seek the right way—good, which leads to happiness, to rich and radiant
living. This changing of one's course, forsaking bad habits, and
adopting new and better ways of living, is in gospel language called
repentance. - Hugh B. Brown, "The
Eternal Quest," p.289
12/28/11
When an air pilot is taught to fly on
a beam, he will not be tempted to go it blind by some promise of thrills
or new adventure. He knows that there is only one course to follow if he
would be safe. He is an enemy who would seek to divert his course and
lure him away from the beam which is his safety. Fly the beam, pilot,
for the headquarters from which it comes will guide you safely to a
happy landing. - Hugh B. Brown, "The Eternal Quest," p.365
