You are free to choose, but you are not free to alter the consequences of your decisions. Ezra Taft Benson More Quotes by Ezra Taft Benson More Quotes From Ezra Taft Benson God help us to be grateful for our blessings, never to be guilty of the sin of ingratitude, and to instill this same gratitude into the lives of our children. Ezra Taft Benson gratitude blessed children That the sole object and only legitimate end of government is to protect the citizen in the enjoyment of life, liberty, and property, and when the government assumes other functions it is usurpation and oppression. Ezra Taft Benson citizens liberty government For the past two centuries, those who do not prize freedom have chipped away at every major clause of our Constitution until today we face a crisis of great dimensions. Ezra Taft Benson patriotic integrity past The temple will be an ever-present reminder that God intended the family to be eternal. Ezra Taft Benson reminders temples eternal To be a successful missionary one must have the Spirit of the Lord. We are also taught that the Spirit will not dwell in unclean tabernacles. Therefore, one of the first things a missionary must do to gain spirituality is to make sure his own personal life is in order. Ezra Taft Benson successful missionary order If you want to get the spirit of the gospel in your home, support the missionary program. Prepare your sons and daughters through your home evenings; through setting the proper example in your homes. Prepare to send them into the mission field. These young sons and daughters will bless your names forever if you help to make it possible through your training and your example and your willingness to sacrifice just a little, if you can call it sacrifice, to see them go into the mission field. Ezra Taft Benson daughter home son Be guided by the Spirit. I have said so many times to my Brethren that the Spirit is the most important single element in this work. With the Spirit, and by magnifying your call, you can do miracles for the Lord in the mission field. Without the Spirit you will never succeed regardless of your talent and ability. Ezra Taft Benson miracle important missionary As members of the Lord's Church, we must take missionary work more seriously. The Lord's commission to 'preach the gospel to every creature' (Mark 16:15) will never change in our dispensation. We have been greatly blessed with the material means, the technology, and an inspired message to bring the gospel to all men. More is expected of us than any previous generation. Where 'much is given much is required.' (D&C 82:3.) Ezra Taft Benson technology blessed mean The revelation to store food may be as essential to our temporal salvation today as boarding the ark was to the people in the days of Noah. Ezra Taft Benson lds religious people The Holy Ghost causes our feelings to be more tender. We feel more charitable and compassionate with each other. We are more calm in our relationships. We have a greater capacity to love each other. People want to be around us because our very countenances radiate the influence of the Spirit. We are more godly in our character. As a result, we become increasingly more sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Ghost and thus able to comprehend spiritual things more clearly. Ezra Taft Benson godly spiritual character One sure way we can determine whether we are on the strait and narrow path is that we will possess the Spirit of the Lord in our lives. Having the Holy Ghost brings forth certain fruits. . . . The most important thing in our lives is the Spirit. I have always felt that. We must remain open and sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Ghost in all aspects of our lives. Ezra Taft Benson important path way We can and should place special emphasis on developing in our youth constructive incentives — a love of science, engineering, and math, so that they will want to take advanced scientific courses and thereby help meet the needs of our times. Ezra Taft Benson engineering technology math Any Christian constitutionalist who retreats from this battle jeopardizes his life here and hereafter. Seldom has so much responsibility hung on so few, so heavily; but our numbers are increasing, and we who have been warned have a responsibility to warn our neighbor. Ezra Taft Benson responsibility christian numbers Mothers stay close to your daughters Earn & deserve their love & respect Be united with their father in the rearing of your children Do nothing in your life to cause your daughters to stumble because of your example. Ezra Taft Benson mothers-day daughter children Successful families try to work together toward solutions instead of resorting to criticism and contention. Ezra Taft Benson working-together criticism successful Our wise founders seemed to understand, better than most of us, our own scripture, which states that ‘it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority … they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion.’ Ezra Taft Benson wise exercise men The price of peace is righteousness. Men and nations may loudly proclaim, 'Peace, peace,' but there shall be no peace until individuals nurture in their souls those principles of personal purity, integrity, and character which foster the development of peace. Peace cannot be imposed. It must come from the lives and hearts of men. There is no other way. Ezra Taft Benson heart integrity character The God of heaven sent some of His choicest spirits to lay the foundation of this government. And he has sent other choice spirits to preserve it. Ezra Taft Benson patriotic government integrity Our Father in Heaven planned the coming forth of the Founding Fathersand their form of government as the necessary great prologue leading to the restoration of the gospel... America, the land of liberty, was to be the Lord's latter-day base of operations for His restored church. Ezra Taft Benson government land father Fathers, yours is an eternal calling from which you are never released. Callings in the Church, as important as they are, by their very nature are only for a period of time, and then an appropriate release takes place. But a father's calling is eternal, and its importance transcends time. It is a calling for both time and eternity. Ezra Taft Benson church important father
