New quotes

I've been following Gene & Pauline Esplin's blog, "Called to Serve." They are serving as humanitarian missionaries in the New Delhi Mission. It includes the northern portion of India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan. They are in Kathmandu. Pauline posted this quote & I liked it, so I snagged it.

"A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions."

~ Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

I finished reading the Institute of Religion's Old Testament: 1 Kings - Malachi Student Manual (Religion 302) tonight & snagged some thoughts from Chapter 35 for my scripture journal.

“I am convinced that each of us, at some time in our lives, must discover the scriptures for ourselves — and not just discover them once, but rediscover them again and again"

~ President Spencer W. Kimball

I found this to be true when reading the OT & again when reading the BOM this year, after just reading it last year.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught:

“. . . It is not reading alone; it is reading, pondering, and praying so that the Spirit of the Almighty gets involved in the study and gives understanding.”

~ “Drink from the Fountain,” Ensign, Apr. 1975, pp. 70–71

Destination

When going on a road trip, there is generally a destination in mind. When plotting life's journey, we should have a destination in mind.

"If we choose the wrong road, we choose the wrong destination."

--Elder Dallin H. Oaks, "Be Not Deceived," Ensign, November 2004, 44

Not all roads end up in the same place. President Thomas S. Monson had several choices for employment. He chose to stay in Salt Lake & work for Deseret News & that has made all the difference. Not only in his life, but in the lives of millions of Church members.

The following quote is from Elder Bruce R. McConkie's last conference talk. I remember it. He was so ill & he died just a few days after giving it.

"I am one of [Jesus Christ's] witnesses, and in a coming day I shall feel the nail marks in his hands and in his feet and shall wet his feet with my tears. But I shall not know any better then than I know now that he is God's Almighty Son, that he is our Savior and Redeemer, and that salvation comes in and through his atoning blood and in no other way."

--Bruce R. McConkie, "The Purifying Power of Gethsemane," Ensign, May 1985, 9

One of my favorite hymns is I Believe in Christ by Elder McConkie.

I remember meeting Elder McConkie when I worked in the Missionary Dept. He was on the Missionary Executive Committee. I had to run a letter over to the Administration Building for his signature. I expected to just give it to his secretary & she would take it in to him. She told me to go right in, he was waiting for it. OMG! This was a man I greatly admired. I couldn't imagine even being in his presence. I had on a pair of shoes with rubber soles. I remember his carpet being so soft, I tripped walking to his desk.

Live in the present

I've decided not to worry about quotes that are repeated, unless the quote strikes me as something I needed to read & ponder again.

"Learn from the past, prepare for the future, live in the present."

--President Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, May 2003, 22

Such succinct advise. Prepare for the future, don't cower, waiting for the worst to happen. Prepare! And one way we can prepare is through education. In Mormon Doctrine, page 14, Elder Bruce R. McConkie said,

"Education is gained primarily from the Spirit of the Lord by revelation and secondarily by study, research, and investigation."

Study, research & investigation. Works for other things besides religious education also. I was so pleased when I was taking the medical transcription course at Bridgerland. I'd study, but I'd pray & ask for the Lord's help, especially before tests. I consistently scored in the high 90s.