Gateway virtue

Ever heard of a gateway virtue before? Neither have I. I have heard of gateway drugs though.

"Patience may well be thought of as a gateway virtue, contributing to the growth and strength of its fellow virtues of forgiveness, tolerance, and faith."

--Elder Robert C. Oaks, "The Power of Patience", October Conference 2006

Do you have to have patience before you can move on to forgiveness, tolerance & faith?

There were some great thoughts on Facebook, I snagged them, as well as one I liked from a blog I follow.

To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.

~ Lewis B. Smedes

"Everybody wants happiness. Nobody wants pain. But you can't have a rainbow without a little rain."

~ Kameryn

"Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with it”

“The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination.”

"You can't sing all the verses for your life's song at the same time."

An outpouring of blessings

Looks like tonight's post will be short & sweet as we have a repeat by President Monson here, & a very short quote from Sister Beck:

"All faithful members of the Lord's Church are equally blessed by priesthood ordinances."

--Julie B. Beck, "An Outpouring of Blessings," Ensign, May 2006, 11

President Monson's quote is about filling our days with what matters most.

Christ was a great example

Man, this site is slow tonight. It was after midnight before I got to my reading. Now, I'm a day behind. I thought these quotes were worth saving. I really like the first one.

"Christ did not just speak about love; He showed it each day of His life. He did not remove Himself from the crowd. Being amidst the people, Jesus reached out to the one. He rescued the lost. He didn't just teach a class about reaching out in love and then delegate the actual work to others. He not only taught but also showed us how to "succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees."

--Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "You Are My Hands", Ensign, May 2010, 68–70, 75

and

"I testify of the refining, spiritual, comforting, strengthening, and restraining influence the priesthood has had in my life. I have lived under its spiritual influence all my life — in my grandfather's home, in my father's home, and then in my own home. It is humbling to use the transcending power and authority of the priesthood to empower others and to heal and bless."

--James E. Faust, "A Royal Priesthood," Ensign, May 2006, 53

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Home

I was surprised when searching for President Howard W. Hunter, there is only one post by President Hunter on the blog, at least only one tagged. While President Monson has several.

"Easter is the celebration of the free gift of immortality given to all men, restoring life and healing all wounds. Though all will die as part of the eternal plan of growth and development, nevertheless we can all find comfort in the Psalmist's statement, "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." (Ps. 30:5.)."

--Howard W. Hunter, "An Apostle's Witness of the Resurrection", Ensign, May 1986, 15

As long as we remember it may not be in our time frame.

"A home is much more than a house built of lumber, brick, or stone. A home is made of love, sacrifice, and respect. We are responsible for the homes we build. We must build wisely, for eternity is not a short voyage. There will be calm and wind, sunlight and shadows, joy and sorrow. But if we really try, our home can be a bit of heaven here on earth. The thoughts we think, the deeds we do, the lives we live not only influence the success of our earthly journey, they also mark the way to our eternal goals."

-President Thomas S. Monson, "Heavenly Homes, Forever Families", World Wide Leadership Training February 2006

I feel like one of the unprepared virgins. I hope our home does not go on the auction block tomorrow.

Do things in wisdom & order

I thought about not making an entry tonight. One quote is a repeat & the other one bothers me. I took the reference provided for the quote, searched for it & read the address. After I read it in context, it didn't bother me any more, but I found this quote toward the end of it that I really like.

"... we should remember King Benjamin’s caution to “see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength” (Mosiah 4:27). I think of that inspired teaching whenever I feel inadequate, frustrated, or depressed."

--Elder Dallin H. Oaks, "The Great Plan of Happiness", Ensign, Nov. 1993, 75

The next quote was a repeat from here. Elder Baxter counsels to hold fast to that which is good.

Patterning our life after the Master

Wow! These are some cool quotes tonight.

"If we can pattern our life after the Master, and take his teachings and example as the supreme pattern for our own, we will not find it difficult to be consistent and loyal in every walk of life, for we will be committed to a single, sacred standard of conduct and belief."

--Howard W. Hunter, "Standing As Witnesses of God", Ensign, May 1990, 60

And this next one ... talk about symbolism in the scriptures ... this analogy is one I can understand:

"Each of us will have our own Fridays — those days when the universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered about us in pieces. We all will experience those broken times when it seems we can never be put together again. We will all have our Fridays. But I testify to you in the name of the One who conquered death — Sunday will come. In the darkness of our sorrow, Sunday will come. No matter our desperation, no matter our grief, Sunday will come. In this life or the next, Sunday will come."

--Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Sunday Will Come", Ensign, Nov. 2006, 28

Forgiveness

This is a good quote:

"Forgiveness is freeing up and putting to better use the energy once consumed by holding grudges, harboring resentments, and nursing unhealed wounds. It is rediscovering the strengths we always had and relocating our limitless capacity to understand and accept other people and ourselves."

--James E Faust, "The Healing Power of Forgiveness", May 2007 Ensign

and another

"The truth is that our only safety, our only security, our only hope is to hold fast to that which is good. As the mists of darkness gather around us, we are only lost if we choose to let go of the iron rod, which is the word of God."

--David S. Baxter, "Faith, Service, Constancy", Liahona, November 2006, 13–15