Messages of inspiration from President Monson
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Making a house a home
"The home is the basis of a righteous life, and no other instrumentality can take its place or fulfill its essential functions" (David O. McKay, Family Home Evening Manual, Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1965, p. iii"). Actually, a home is much more than a house. A house is built of lumber, brick and stone. A home is made of love, sacrifice and respect. A house can be a home, and a home can be a heaven when it shelters a family. — "The Family Must Endure," International Year of the Family Conference, March 19, 1995
Utilizing time
Learn how to study, how to retain what you hear and what you read, and how to apply that knowledge. Learn to meet your challenges one day at a time. And make time serve you. Don't just spend time — utilize it. — "Eternal Flight," CES Fireside Satellite Broadcast Feb. 4, 1996
Modern pioneers
But what of today's challenge? Are there no rocky roads to travel, no rugged mountains to climb, chasms to cross, trails to blaze or rivers to ford? Or is there a very pleasant need for that pioneer spirit to guide us away from the dangers which threaten to engulf us and lead us rather to a Zion of safety?
Can we somehow muster the courage, that steadfastness of purpose which characterized the pioneers of a former generation? Can you and I, in actual fact, be pioneers today? The dictionary defines a pioneer as "one who goes before, showing others the way to follow," Oh, how the world needs such pioneers today." — Fireside, Moroni, Utah, June 16, 1996
Course corrections done today
How fragile life, how certain death. We do not know when we will be required to leave this mortal existence. And so I ask, "What are we doing with today?" If we live only for tomorrow, we'll have a lot of empty yesterdays today. Have we been guilty of declaring, "I've been thinking about making some course corrections in my life. I plan to take the first step — tomorrow"? With such thinking, tomorrow is forever. Such tomorrows rarely come unless we do something about them today. — "Now is the time," general conference, October 2001
Notice the unnoticed
What about our time? Are there pioneering experiences for us? For you? For me? Will future generations reflect with gratitude on our efforts, our examples? You young women, wherever you are this night, can indeed be pioneers in courage, in faith, in charity, in determination.
You can strengthen one another; you have the capacity to notice the unnoticed. When you have eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to feel, you can reach out and rescue others of your age. — "Pioneers All," Young Women General Meeting, March 29, 1997
Teach the children
Children learn through gentle direction and persuasive teaching. They search for models to imitate, knowledge to acquire, things to do, and teachers to please.
Parents and grandparents fill the role of teacher. So do siblings of the growing child. In this regard, I offer four simple suggestions for your consideration:
1. Teach prayer.
2. Inspire faith.
3. Live truth.
4. Honor God.
— "Teach the Children," general conference, October 1997
