Joseph B. Wirthlin Quotes

Perhaps the best-known Old Testament example of perseverance is the story of Job.

In some respects, progressing through life is like running a marathon.

Many of us enjoy going to ball games and watching them on television. I am no exception. I love to watch a good athletic contest. If we spend excessive time with sporting events, however, we may neglect things that are much more important.

The notion that you can endanger your physical and mental health by letting strong passions go unsatisfied is a vicious falsehood.

If we become ill, modern medicine can work healing miracles.

Many in the world are searching, often intensely, for a source of refreshment that will quench their yearning for meaning and direction in their lives. They crave a cool, satisfying drink of insight and knowledge that will soothe their parched souls.

When I was a deacon, the ominous signs of the Great Depression began to appear. Tens of thousands lost their jobs. Money was scarce. Families had to do without. Some young people did not ask their mothers, ‘What’s for dinner?’ because they knew all too well that their cupboards held very little.

Every person on the earth today lived at one time in heavenly realms. We walked with our Heavenly Father. We knew Him. We heard His voice. We loved Him.

Yes, education is the catalyst that will hone and sharpen our talents, skills, and abilities and cause them to blossom.

There was never any doubt of Christ’s priorities.

The Holy Ghost is a personage of Spirit: a separate and distinct member of the Godhead.

We see ourselves in terms of yesterday and today. Our Heavenly Father sees us in terms of forever.

As an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, I testify to you this day that the time will come when every one of us will look into the Savior’s loving eyes.

In my early teens, I was a janitor. In high school, I got up early to deliver to accounts that required early service.

Through the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord has established His Church once again among men.

Husbands, be patient with your wives; and wives, be patient with your husbands. Don’t expect perfection. Find agreeable ways to work out the differences that arise.

In my younger days, I loved to run. Although it may be hard for you to believe it, I did. And I did win a few races.

Some carry the burden of bitterness and resentfulness for many years.

We’ve all met those who seem to radiate happiness. They seem to smile more than others; they laugh more than others – just being around them makes us happier as well.

Most of us don’t mind doing what we ought to do when it doesn’t interfere with what we want to do, but it takes discipline and maturity to do what we ought to do whether we want to or not.

William McKinley Oswald was my high school football coach. He was a great coach and had a profound influence on my life. But I think he could have learned his method of motivating players from an army drill sergeant.

There is something about prosperity that brings out the worst in some people.

The Prophet Joseph Smith lived in troubled times.

President Eyring is a wise, learned, and spiritual man.

Prosperity often leads to pride, which leads to sin.

Though we live in the world, we must not be of the world.

Think of how dark that Friday was when Christ was lifted up on the cross… It was a Friday filled with devastating, consuming sorrow that gnawed at the souls of those who loved and honored the Son of God.

The more sin is rationalized, the greater the possibility of destruction by Satan’s wolves.

Many of the most important and life-changing moments of my life occurred when I was a young man. The lessons I learned then formed my character and shaped my destiny.

Having received the Spirit of Christ to know good from evil, we should always choose the good.

My father was truly a great man. I remember one day putting my feet in my father’s shoes. I was amazed at the size. Would I ever be big enough to fill his shoes? Could I ever grow into the man my father was? I wondered.

Each night before I go to bed, I take out a small card and write a list of the things I need to do the next day in order of their priority.

All too often, lotteries only add to the problem of the financially disadvantaged by taking money from them and giving nothing of value in return.

In the scriptures, ‘peace’ means either freedom from strife, contention, conflict, or war, or an inner calm and comfort born of the Spirit that is a gift of God to all of his children, an assurance and serenity within a person’s heart.

Desire, burning desire, is basic to achieving anything beyond the ordinary.

The Lord is well aware of our mortality. He knows our weaknesses. He understands the challenges of our everyday lives. He has great empathy for the temptations of earthly appetites and passions.

My parents were hardworking. They made every penny stretch as far as possible. That was probably the major reason everything they gave me was always two or three sizes too large.

Modern medicine uses imaging ‘windows’ such as magnetic resonance imaging scanners to bring into view otherwise unseen vital information that skilled physicians can use for the benefit of their patients.

Some feel as though the world is their oyster; others feel as though they were the oyster itself, plucked from the ocean, cracked open, and robbed of all that is precious to them.

A computer can be a useful and indispensable tool. But if we allow it to devour our time with vain, unproductive, and sometimes destructive pursuits, it becomes an entangling net.

This I have observed: There are no language barriers in the Church. There is a mighty power that transcends the power of messages conveyed by words alone, and this is the power of messages communicated by the Spirit to our hearts.

My mother was a very positive thinker; she was always active, always doing something good.

If Satan can weaken or destroy the loving relationships among members of families, he can cause more misery and more unhappiness for more people than he could in any other way.

You can get people to work by using threats or by promising rewards.

I give thanks to my Creator for this wonderful life where each of us has the opportunity to learn lessons we could not fully comprehend by any other means.

Telescopes and microscopes bring to our view the otherwise unseen and unknown.

A sure indicator of true religion is a concern for the poor of the earth.

Every day is an adventure.

To beguile is to deceive or lead astray, as Lucifer beguiled Eve in the Garden of Eden.

When we make purchases on credit, they give us only an illusion of prosperity.

I know that each of us has much to do. Sometimes we feel overwhelmed by the tasks we face. But if we keep our priorities in order, we can accomplish all that we should. We can endure to the end regardless of temptations, problems, and challenges.

We observe that in the scriptures, fasting almost always is linked with prayer. Without prayer, fasting is not complete fasting; it’s simply going hungry.

For each human being, time is a necessary resource. It can neither be ignored nor changed.

Honesty is of God and dishonesty of the devil; the devil was a liar from the beginning.

Often what passes for faith in this world is little more than gullibility.

Although we might settle for less, Heavenly Father won’t, for he sees us as the glorious beings we are capable of becoming.

We cannot have the fruits of the gospel without its roots.

Nets are generally defined as devices for capturing something. In a more narrow but more important sense, we might define a net as anything that entices or prevents us from following the call of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God.

Bookstore operators tell us that the books which head the bestseller list are books on peace and happiness.

The responsibility to do missionary work rests with every member of the Church.

The more often we see the things around us – even the beautiful and wonderful things – the more they become invisible to us. That is why we often take for granted the beauty of this world: the flowers, the trees, the birds, the clouds – even those we love. Because we see things so often, we see them less and less.

Kindness is the essence of greatness and the fundamental characteristic of the noblest men and women I have known.

Expressions of solemn testimony have long been important to the children of God upon the earth.

I give thanks to my Creator for this wonderful life where each of us has the opportunity to learn lessons we could not fully comprehend by any other means.

We don’t have to be perfect today. We don’t have to be better than someone else. All we have to do is to be the very best we can.

Pride and vanity, the opposites of humility, can destroy our spiritual health as surely as a debilitating disease can destroy our physical health.

The people who misuse the Sabbath lose the blessings of spiritual food and growth promised to those who keep this commandment.

We know that we are often judged by the company we keep. We know how influential classmates, friends, and other peer groups can be. If any of our companions are prone to be unrighteous in their living, we are better off seeking new associations immediately.

The Spirit is as operative today in communicating the gospel to all who seek the truth as it was on the day of Pentecost anciently.

God truly is our Father, the Father of the spirits of all mankind. We are his literal offspring and are formed in his image. We have inherited divine characteristics from him.

Don’t be discouraged if the answer to your prayer does not come immediately. Study, ponder, and pray, sincerely having faith, and live the commandments.

Lying, stealing, and cheating are commonplace.

The word ‘seek’ means to go in search of, try to discover, try to acquire. It requires an active, assertive approach to life.

Logic itself affirms that a loving Heavenly Father would not abandon His children without providing a way for them to learn of Him.

Sometimes we make the process more complicated than we need to. We will never make a journey of a thousand miles by fretting about how long it will take or how hard it will be. We make the journey by taking each day step by step and then repeating it again and again until we reach our destination.

We have no middle ground, no foggy gray area where we can sin a little without suffering spiritual decline. That is why we must repent and come to Christ daily on submissive knees so that we can prevent our bonfires of testimony from being snuffed out by sin.

We are commanded to seek out those who are lost. We are to be our brother’s keeper.

A testimony of the truth of the gospel does not come the same way to all people. Some receive it in a unique, life-changing experience. Others gain a testimony slowly, almost imperceptibly until, one day, they simply know.

I urge you children to be patient with your parents. If they seem to be out of touch on such vital issues as dating, clothing styles, modern music, and use of family cars, listen to them anyway. They have the experience that you lack.

While we yearn for peace, we live in a world burdened with hunger, pain, anguish, loneliness, sickness, and sorrow.

Our prayers can and should be focused on the practical, everyday struggles of life.

Financial problems cause distress and loss of self-respect.

Prophets have no other purpose, no other mission except to serve God.

Occasionally, family members treat each other with less courtesy and kindness than they do acquaintances or even strangers.

The Lord has promised great rewards for those who reach out to strengthen their brothers and sisters.

The birth of the Savior into mortality is an event of immeasurable significance that occurred almost 2,000 years ago. In much of the world, calendar years are numbered forward and backward from the entire time of His birth.

Gauchos are like cowboys in the United States.

Why must we love the Lord? Because as we do so, we become refined, pure, and holy.

To me, integrity means always doing what is right and good, regardless of the immediate consequences. It means being righteous from the very depth of our soul, not only in our actions but, more importantly, in our thoughts and in our hearts.

When we are baptized and confirmed, when brethren are ordained to the priesthood, when we go to the temple and receive our endowment, when we enter into the new and everlasting covenant of eternal marriage – in all these sacred ordinances, we make solemn commitments to keep God’s commandments.

The next time you’re tempted to groan, you might try to laugh instead.

The Lord Jesus Christ is our partner, helper and advocate.

The greater the measure of our love, the greater is our joy.

God wants us to serve willingly and obediently.

The spiritual self of each of us is that part of us that will never grow old, or ill, or die, but it must be nurtured and invigorated!

Each minute is a little thing, and yet, with respect to our personal productivity, to manage the minute is the secret of success.

Dates that come around every year help us measure progress in our lives. One annual event, New Year’s Day, is a time of reflection and resolution.

God’s commandments are not given to limit or punish us.

I have had the opportunity to become acquainted with many wonderful people from many walks of life. I have known rich and poor, famous and modest, wise and otherwise.

You are stronger than you think.

Building our homes as fortresses of righteousness for protection from the world takes constant labor and diligence.

Too many sit at the banquet table of the gospel of Jesus Christ and merely nibble at the feast placed before them. They go through the motions – attending their meetings perhaps, glancing at scriptures, repeating familiar prayers – but their hearts are far away.

Some pass their days as though suffering a deep sadness they cannot name. Others are unhappy because life didn’t turn out the way they thought it would.

Many feel discouraged because they have not measured up to their potential.

The Lord did not people the earth with a vibrant orchestra of personalities only to value the piccolos of the world. Every instrument is precious and adds to the complex beauty of the symphony.

Yes, the fullness of the gospel is a pearl of great price worth any effort.

A worldwide web of electronic connections now moves data at ever-increasing speed and volume along what we call the information superhighway.

Many today feel troubled and distressed; many feel that, at any moment, the ships of their lives could capsize or sink.

Priesthood lessons are regularly devoted to topics of family leadership, and quorum leaders everywhere are feeling more and more their responsibility to teach and train their quorum members to be better husbands and fathers.

We are ever on the threshold of new journeys and new discoveries. Can you imagine the excitement of the Wright brothers on the morning of that first flight? The anticipation of Jonas Salk as he analyzed the data that demonstrated a way to prevent polio?

There is no substitute for kindness in the home. This lesson I learned from my father. He always listened to my mother’s advice. As a result, he was a better, wiser, and kinder man.

We have at our fingertips information that 500 years ago would have made the poorest man a prince.

You can find peace amidst the storms that threaten you.

When some people have a difficult job to do, they give up everything else until that job is finished. Others just give up.

Fast offerings are used for one purpose only: to bless the lives of those in need.

Sin may result from activities that begin innocently or that are perfectly legitimate in moderation, but in excess they can cause us to veer from the straight and narrow path to our destruction.

Those who stand at the threshold of life always waiting for the right time to change are like the man who stands at the bank of a river waiting for the water to pass so he can cross on dry land.

Some people erroneously believe that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members are not Christian. We have difficulty understanding why anyone could accept and promote an idea that is so far from the truth.

Born of a noble father and a saintly mother, President Hinckley learned as a young boy the truths of the restored gospel from his faithful parents. He came to respect deeply and value highly his pioneer heritage.

Wayward, disobedient children cause their parents grief and anxiety.

The most cherished and sacred moments of our lives are those filled with the spirit of love.

Imagine for a moment the result if everyone were to love one another as Jesus loves his disciples. We would have no bickering, quarreling, strife, or contention in our homes. We would not offend or insult one another either verbally or in any other way. We would not have unnecessary litigation over small matters.

Immorality, violence, and divorce, with their accompanying sorrows, plague society worldwide.

Our computers have become windows through which we can gaze upon a world that is virtually without horizons or boundaries.

Often, parents feel overwhelmed. Many must accomplish the whole job single-handedly while bearing all of the emotional pain of divorce.

My beloved Elisa, my companion and wife, whom I love and revere, is one of the most noble of our Heavenly Father’s handmaidens.

Sin leads to wickedness and to hearts that become hardened to things of the Spirit.

Mortal experiences give us the opportunity to assess what we are doing with our lives.

Charity can be the outward expression of faith and hope.

Valued companionships begin with a personal commitment to be an exemplary companion.

Priesthood quorums teach and assist their members to attain good health, financial stability, and a year’s supply of food and clothing. They also teach their members to be self-reliant and to give their time, talents, and means in behalf of the Church, community, and needy.

We observe that in the scriptures, fasting almost always is linked with prayer. Without prayer, fasting is not complete fasting; it’s simply going hungry.

As you grow and mature, you will want and will earn more freedom to live your lives your way and to make your own choices. This you should do.

As we progress and become more like the Savior, we can strengthen every group with whom we associate, including families and friends.

Fasting, coupled with mighty prayer, is powerful.

There is no limit to the potential of brethren working together in complete brotherhood and selflessness toward spiritual goals. The power of God working through such channels will bring unimaginable blessings to all concerned.

Some memories are unforgettable, remaining ever vivid and heartwarming!

If we seek things that are virtuous and lovely, we surely will find them. Conversely, if we seek for evil, we will find that also.

Integrity, a firm adherence to the highest moral and ethical standards, is essential to the life of a true Latter-day Saint.

We can easily get our lives out of balance.

Joining a new church and starting a new life is never easy and often frightening.

Inordinate desire for material possessions can become an obsession that consumes our thoughts, drains our resources, and leads to unhappiness.

We think we own things, but the reality is, our things own us.

Our bodies are truly the result of what we eat, what we think about, and the exercise we receive. If we are not wise, these little things can soon cause major health problems that will limit our success and ability to serve.

The Gospels record that nearly everywhere the Savior went, He was surrounded by multitudes of people. Some hoped that He would heal them; others came to hear Him speak. Others came for practical advice. Toward the end of His mortal ministry, some came to mock and ridicule Him and to clamor for His crucifixion.

I remember the first time I met my wife, Elisa. As a favor to a friend, I had gone to her home to pick up her sister, Frances. Elisa opened the door, and at least for me, it was love at first sight.

We have numerous examples of perseverance in the scriptures, in secular history, and in our own experiences.

We do not know the precise time of the Second Coming of the Savior, but we do know that we are living in the latter days and are closer to the Second Coming than when the Savior lived his mortal life in the meridian of time.

Joseph Smith was true to his calling and fulfilled his duty even in the face of severe persecution and great personal sacrifice.

Marathon runners set explicit goals.

Parents should plant deeply the seed of the work ethic into the hearts and habits of their children.

Oh, it is wonderful to know that our Heavenly Father loves us – even with all our flaws! His love is such that even should we give up on ourselves, He never will.

The Savior was selfless. He viewed himself and his own needs as secondary, and he ministered to others tirelessly, lovingly, effectively.

As with the butterfly, adversity is necessary to build character in people.

Though our trials are diverse, there is one thing the Lord expects of us no matter our difficulties and sorrows: He expects us to press on.

Some have been ensnared in the net of excessive debt. The net of interest holds them fast, requiring them to sell their time and energies to meet the demands of creditors. They surrender their freedom, becoming slaves to their own extravagance.

President Benson’s mighty influence is felt in many ways. His timely and inspired counsel to read the precious Book of Mormon brought an added appreciation of this sacred scripture to all who followed his direction.

When the Savior Himself was born, there were troubled times.

‘Success’ is a seductive word. Thousands of books have been written on the subject. They promise money, freedom, leisure, and luxury.

The compassion of Christlike friends deeply touches and changes our lives.

Missionaries labor diligently to teach and baptize those who accept the gospel. In the process, their own testimonies become deeply rooted.

In spite of discouragement and adversity, those who are happiest seem to have a way of learning from difficult times, becoming stronger, wiser and happier as a result.

Knowledge is very important and one of the few things that accompanies us into the next life.

Some of the happiest people I know have none of the things the world insists are necessary for satisfaction and joy.

Every day carries with it a responsibility.