Attitude

Too many people shrink from reality and recoil from discomfort. The tendency of the discontented is to look back at everything with nostalgia and of the timid to look ahead at everything with fear. I hope you will join with the Roman poet and declare, "Let ancient times delight other folk; I rejoice that I was not born till now" (Ovid). — "The Race for Eternal Life," Ricks College Baccalaureate, May 10, 1967

Gratitude

In the book of Matthew in the Bible, we have an account of gratitude … as an expression from the Savior. As He traveled in the wilderness for three days, more than 4,000 people followed and traveled with Him. He took compassion on them, for they may not have eaten during the entire three days. His disciples, however, questioned, "Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?" Like many of us, the disciples saw only what was lacking.

"And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And [the disciples] said, Seven, and a few little fishes.

"And [Jesus] commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.

"And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude."

Notice that the Savior gave thanks for what they had — and a miracle followed: "And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full" (see Matthew 15:32-38). — "The Divine Gift of Gratitude," Ensign, November 2010, pp. 87-88

Learn from the past

At times, progressive, eager youth frown on the possibility of learning from the past. Remember that the roads you travel so briskly lead out of dim antiquity, and you study the past chiefly because of its bearing on the living present … and its promise for the future. When one fails to learn from the lessons of the past, he is doomed to repeat the same mistakes and suffer their attendant consequences. — "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow," Weber State College Baccalaureate, May 1, 1968

Judging others

Appearances can be so deceiving, such a poor measure of a person. Admonished the Savior, "Judge not according to the appearance" (John 7:24).

A member of a women's organization once complained when a certain woman was selected to represent the organization. She had never met the woman, but she had seen a photograph of her and didn't like what she saw, considering her to be overweight. She commented, "Of the thousands of women in this organization, surely a better representative could have been chosen."

True, the woman who was chosen was not "model slim." But those who knew her and knew her qualities saw in her far more than was reflected in the photograph. The photograph did show that she had a friendly smile and a look of confidence. What the photograph didn't show was that she was a loyal and compassionate friend, a woman of intelligence who loved the Lord and who loved and served His children. It didn't show that she volunteered in the community and was a considerate and concerned neighbor. In short, the photograph did not reflect who she really was.

I ask: If attitudes, deeds, and spiritual inclinations were reflected in physical features, would the countenance of the woman who complained be as lovely as that of the woman she criticized? — "Charity Never Faileth," Ensign, November 2006, p. 122-23

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'Let us pray with sincerity and meaning, offering our thanks and asking for those things we feel we need. Let us listen for His answers, that we may recognize them when they come.'

Pray with sincerity

As we pray, let us really communicate with our Father in Heaven. It is easy to let our prayers become repetitious, expressing words with little or no thought behind them. … Let us pray with sincerity and meaning, offering our thanks and asking for those things we feel we need. Let us listen for His answers, that we may recognize them when they come. As we do, we will be strengthened and blessed. We will come to know Him and His desires for our lives. By knowing Him, by trusting His will, our foundations of faith will be strengthened. — "How Firm a Foundation," Ensign, November 2006, p. 67