The Glorious Gospel (Richards)

Brethren and sisters, I rejoice exceedingly with you in this glorious Gospel. If there is anything on the earth that can satisfy the human soul in its desires for excellence, virtue, exaltation and greatness, it certainly is this Gospel of the kingdom. If there is anything in the world that can satisfy the hungry soul for knowledge, it is the revelations of the Lord Jesus Christ, which open up continually line upon line, and precept upon precept; here a little and there a little; indeed there is nothing else can satisfy the longing of the human soul.

Franklin D. Richards, Journal of Discourses 25:236

Living, Abiding and Eternal Reality (L. Tom Perry)

“[John Taylor] was given a special call to go to New York City to organize and publish a newspaper whose purpose would be to present the doctrines and practices of the Church in such a way as to neutralize the groundswell of anti-Mormon feeling that had been mounting for over a year. . . .

“. . . He responded with boldness, challenging his critics to prove their charges:

” ‘We have said before and say now, that we defy all the editors and writers in the United States to prove that Mormonism is less moral, scriptural, philosophical; or that there is less patriotism in Utah than any other part of the United States. We call for proof; bring on your reasons, gentlemen, if you have any; we shrink not from the investigation, and dare you to the encounter’ (in Roberts, Life of John Taylor, 249).

“He then sketched for readers the salient characteristics of a converted Latter-day Saint: ‘He grasps at all truths, human and divine. . . . He has nothing to lose but error, nothing to gain but truth. He digs, labors, and searches for it as for hidden treasure; and while others are content with the chaff and husks of straw, he seizes upon the kernel, substance, the gist of all that’s good, and clings to all that will ennoble and exalt the human family.’

“He went on to affirm boldly: ‘The omnipotent power of eternal truth will stand unscathed in the view of gathering hosts, and the nations will know that God rules in the heavens, and that Mormonism is not a vague [f]antasy . . . but the greatest boon that could be conferred upon man, the offspring of heaven, the gift of the Gods, a celestial treasure, an earthly, heavenly inheritance, and a living, abiding and eternal reality’ (The Mormon, 28 July 1855, 2).”

L. Tom Perry, “By the Hands of His Prophets,” Ensign, Aug. 1998, 54–55

"Just what we went for…"

Brother Kimball referred to Zion’s Camp going to Missouri.  When I returned from that mission to Kirkland, a brother said to me, “Brother Brigham, what have you gained by this journey?”  I replied, “Just what we went for; but I would not exchange the knowledge I have received this season for the whole of the Geauga County; for property and mines of wealth are not to be compared to the worth of knowledge.”  Ask those brethren and sisters who have passed through scenes of affliction and suffering for years in the Church what they would take in exchange for their experience, and be placed back where they were, were it possible.  I presume they would tell you that all the wealth, honors and riches of the world could not buy the knowledge they had obtained, could they barter it away.  Let the brethren be contented, if you have trials and must have hard times, learn to acknowledge the hand of the Lord in it all.  He directs the affairs of this world…

Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 2:10

Whatever principle of intelligence we gain in this life will rise with us in the resurrection

“When you climb a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the Gospel—you must begin with the first, and go on until you learn all of the principles of exaltation.  But it will be a great while after you have passed through the veil before you will have learned them.  It is not all to be comprehended in this world; it will be a great work to learn our salvation and exaltation even beyond the grave.”

Joseph Smith, History of the Church, 6:306-7; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on April 7, 1844, in Nauvoo Illinois

“We consider that God has created man with a mind capable of instruction, and a faculty which may be enlarged in proportion to the heed and diligence given to the light communicated from heaven to the intellect; and that the nearer a man approaches perfection, the clearer are his views, and the greater his enjoyments, till he has overcome the evils of his life and lost every desire for sin; and like the ancients, arrives at that point of faith where he is wrapped in the power of glory of his Maker and is caught up to dwell with Him.  But we consider that this is a station to which no man ever arrived in a moment: he must have been instructed in the government and laws of that kingdom by proper degrees, until his mind is capable in some measure of comprehending the propriety, justice, equality and consistency of the same.”

Joseph Smith, “Scriptural Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith” pp. 63-64

“That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.”

D&C 50:24

“…he that will ^cnot harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full.”

Alma 12:10

“For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more…”

2 Nephi 28:30

“And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours.”

D&C 78:18

“Whatever principle of intelligence we attain to in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection.  And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much more the advantage in the world to come”

D&C 130:18-19

Mormonism and truth

“Mormonism is truth, or in other words the doctrine of the Latter-Day Saints is truth…The first and fundamental principle of our holy religion is that we believe that we might have the right to embrace all, and every item of truth, without limitation or without being circumscribed or prohibited by the creeds or superstitious notions of men, or by the dominations of one another, when truth has been clearly demonstrated to our minds, and we have the highest degree of evidence of the same.”

Josesph Smith, Letter from Joseph Smith to Isaac Gallad, March 22, 1839, Liberty Jail, Liberty Missouri, published in the Times and Seasons, February 1840, pp. 53-54

“‘Mormonism’…embraces every principle pertaining to life and salvation, for time and eternity. No matter who has it. If the infidel has got truth it belongs to ‘Mormonism.’ The truth and sound doctrine possessed by the sectarian world, and they have a great deal, all belong to this Church… All that is good, lovely, and praiseworthy belongs to this Church and Kingdom. ‘Mormonism’ includes all truth. There is no truth but what belongs to the Gospel.”

Brigham Young, Discourses of Brigham Young, page 2

“Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand; Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms—That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you.”

D&C 88:78-80

“…If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things”

Thirteenth Article of Faith