"I do not know what lies ahead of you young men, but 'Fasten your seat belts' and hold on firmly to your principles."

• "In my Primary days, we sang ' "Give" Said the Little Stream,' — certainly motivating and sweet, but not exactly theologically drenched. Today's children sing the more spiritually focused 'I'm Trying to be Like Jesus.' "

• In his youth, he said, "we made room for each other to grow, to make dumb mistakes, to repent, and to begin to develop at least some spiritual reflexes. Today, some anxious parents insist on constantly pulling up the daisies to see how the roots are doing."

• "Be grateful for people who love you enough to correct you and to remind you of your standards and possibilities, even when you don't wish to be reminded."

• His sister, Lois, legally blind from birth, served well as a public school teacher for 33 years. "She had that same reflex possessed by those pioneer souls who quietly picked up their handcarts and headed west, a reflex we all need. So if various trials are allotted to you, partake of life's bitter cups, but without becoming bitter."

• "The father of Elder Henry Eyring wisely observed how the Lord had a perfect Church until He let all of us inside!"

• For young fathers: "We underestimate how genuinely our children want to please us," and "We worship a Lord who teaches us precept by precept, so even when we are teaching our children the gospel, let's not dump the whole load of hay."

• In later years, Elder Maxwell said, he saw a few leave the Church who could never seem to leave it alone. "They often used their intellectual reservations to cover their behavioral lapses. You will see some of that." He added, "By the way, don't expect the world's solutions to the world's problems to be very effective. Such solutions, C. S. Lewis wrote, often consist of dashing back and forth with fire extinguishers in times of flood."

• Recalling his wife's advice to take a position at the University of Utah, one which ultimately provided opportunities for him to serve and influence young people, he said, "Our wives are often inspired — but sometimes in counterintuitive ways — a reality, young men, which your fathers may be brave enough to explain to you sometime."

In summary, Elder Maxwell remarked, "Clusters of memories are embedded in each of our lives, brethren. These can help us to 'remember how merciful the Lord has been' (Moroni 10:3). He certainly has been to me!

"Brethren, as you submit your wills to God, you are giving Him the only thing you can actually give Him that is really yours to give. Don't wait too long to find the altar or to begin to place the gift of your wills upon it!"