Press On: Messages on Faith, Hope, and Charity Book

I've wanted to read this book for a long time, but am grateful I read it now. Elder Wirthlin's reminder to press on with faith, hope, and charity were a much needed message for me now. This book is a compilation of talks edited together in a wonderful way presenting Elder Wirthlin's consistently cheerful and humble message and testimony. I love his words teaching of Jesus Christ and the importance of continuing forward and doing our best. So many important principles are covered here, but my favorite chapter was the talk about improving our prayers (see page 154). Being close to the Lord will help us move forward in righteousness. I recommend this book. Here are a few of my favorite quotes:

"'If the Savior were to call you today, would you be just as willing to leave your nets and follow Him?' I am confident that many would. But for some, it may not be such an easy decision. Some have discovered that nets, by their very nature, are sometimes not so easy to leave (p. 3)."

"Sometimes we feel that the busier we are, the more important we are--as though our busyness defines our worth. Brothers and sisters, we can spend a lifetime whirling about at a feverish pace, checking off list after list of things that in the end really don't matter. That we do a lot may not be so important. The Lord has often enjoined us to invest the energy of our minds, our hearts, and our souls in those things of eternal significance--that is essential. As the clatter and clamor of life bustle about us, we hear shouting to 'come here' and to 'go there.' In the midst of the noise and seductive voices that compete for our time and interest, a solitary figure stands on the shore of our Sea of Galilee, calling quietly to us, 'Follow me (p. 5).'"

"We testify that God called, prepared, and sustained Joseph Smith, the Prophet of the Restoration. Prophets have no other purpose, no other mission, except to serve God. Of his own sacred responsibility and holy calling, our living prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley, has said" 'I have no desire other than to do that which the Lord would have done, I am His servant, called to serve His people. This is His Church. We are only custodians of that which belongs to Him (p. 23).'"

"President Thomas S. Monson taught the importance of our being willing to serve in this great cause when he asked: 'Are we sufficiently in tune with the Spirit that when the Lord calls, we can hear, as did Samuel, and declare, 'Here am I?' Do we have the fortitude and the faith, whatever our callings, to serve with unflinching courage, and unshakable resolve? When we do, the Lord can work His mighty miracles through us (p. 34).'"

"Do you wish to partake of this living water and experience that divine well springing up within you to everlasting life? Then be not afraid. Believe with all your hearts. Develop an unshakable faith in the Son of God, and let your hearts reach out in earnest prayer. Fill your minds with knowledge of Him. Lay your sins on the altar of sacrifice and forsake them. Joyously walk in holiness and in harmony with the commandments. Drink deeply of the living waters of the gospel of Jesus Christ (p. 47)."

"No matter our age, circumstances, or abilities, each of us can create something remarkable of our life (p. 49)."

"We may not be gifted artists, sculptors, or musicians, but the greatest art of all is the art of living. We can take the clay of time and create from it a masterpiece of an abundant life. Love the Lord will all your heart, might, mind, and strength. Enlist in great and noble causes. Create of your homes sanctuaries of holiness and strength. Magnify your callings in the Church. Fill your minds with learning. Strengthen your testimonies. Reach out to others. Create of your life a masterpiece (p. 49)."

"How do we know when our faith conforms to the will of our Heavenly Father and that He approves of that which we seek? We must know the word of God. One of the reasons we immerse ourselves in the scriptures is to know of Heavenly Father's dealings with man from the beginning. If the desires of our heart are contrary to scripture, then we should not pursue them further (p. 62)."

"I promise that if we approach our children and grandchildren with love rather than reproach, we will find that their faith will increase as a result of the influence and testimony of someone who loves the Savior and His divine Church (p. 64)."

"Often when the world seems dark, when the heavens seem distant, we seek to blame everything around us, when the real cause of the darkness may be a lack of faith within ourselves. Be of good cheer. Have faith and confidence. The Lord will not forsake you (p. 65)."

"Nothing will be of greater value to you as you prepare for the responsibilities and trials of adulthood. A heartfelt testimony of the Book of Mormon will make you great missionaries and loving, patient parents (p. 80)."

"Though our trials are diverse, there is only one thing the Lord expects of us no matter our difficulties and sorrows. He expects us to press on (p. 83)."

"A few weeks before President Heber J. Grant passed away, one of the Brethren went to visit him in his home. Before the man left, President Grant prayed, 'O God, bless me that I shall not lose my testimony and keep faithful to the end (p. 87)!'"

"Testimony gives us the eternal perspective necessary to see beyond the trials or challenges we will inevitably face. Remember what Heber C. Kimball prophesied: 'The time will come when no man nor woman will be able to endure on borrowed light. Each will have to be guided by the light within himself....If you don't have it you will not stand; therefore seek for the testimony of Jesus and cleave to it, that when the trying times come you may not stumble and fall (p. 90).'"

"What is mortality if not a long process similar to learning to walk? We must learn to walk in the ways of the Lord. You are stronger than you think. Your Heavenly Father, the Lord and Master of the universe if your Creator. When I think of it, it makes my heart leap for joy. Our spirits are eternal, and eternal spirits have immeasurable capacity (p. 94)."

"Living the gospel does not mean the storms of life will pass us by, but we will be better prepared to face them with serenity and peace. 'Search diligently, pray always, and be believing,' the Lord admonished, 'and all things shall work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly' (D&C 90:24). Draw close to the Lord Jesus Christ. Be of good cheer. Keep the faith. Doubt not. The storms will one day be stilled. Our beloved prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley, has said: 'We have nothing to fear. God is at the helm....[and] He will shower down blessings upon those who walk in obedience to His commandments (p. 96).'"

"'It is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order' (Mosiah 4:27). We don't have to be fast, we simply have to be steady and move in the right direction. We have to do the best we can, one step after another (p. 114)."

"When you are tempted to throw your hands in the air and give up because of this dear sister, please, remember you're not competing with her any more than I'm competing with the members of the Quorum of the Twelve in winning a 50-yard dash. The only thing you need to worry about is striving to be the best you can be. And how do you do that? You keep your eye on the goals that matter most in life, and you move toward them step by step (p. 115)."

"You become diligent through determined efforts. Set goals; make plans; follow through on your plans. Diligence provides its own reward, and it will be answered with blessings on your heads. If for some reason you have been less than diligent, remember the assurance given by President Spencer W. Kimball: 'The slothful and inadequate servant can repent, exchange apathy for diligence, and receive God's forgiveness (p. 123).'"

"Prepare yourself diligently through gospel study. Then talk to as many people as you can, with the intent of teaching them the gospel and inviting them to accept its saving ordinances (p. 128)."

"The Lord has not promised freedom from distress. But He has promised that if we are faithful, blessings will follow (p. 134)."

"There may not be a more frequently uttered commandment than that we lift up our hearts and our voices in prayer to our Heavenly Father (p. 154)."

"Do your prayers at times sound and feel the same? Have you ever said a prayer mechanically, the words pouring forth as though cut from a machine? Do you sometimes bore yourself as you pray? Prayers that do not demand much of your thought will likely not merit much attention from our Heavenly Father. When you find yourself getting into a routine with your prayers, step back and think. Meditate for awhile on the things for which you really are grateful. Look for them. They don't have to be grand or glorious; sometimes we should express our gratitude for the small and simple things, such as the scent of the rain, the taste of your favorite macaroni and cheese recipe, the sound of a loved one's voice. Pondering the things we are grateful for is a healing balm. It helps us get outside ourselves. It changes our focus from our pains and our trials to the abundance of this beautiful world we live in (p. 156)."

"Do you want to commune with the Infinite? Then approach Him with reverence and humility. Don't worry so much about whether your words are polished. Worry instead about speaking from your heart. In faith, set before Him your righteous desires and your petitions, knowing that He will hear you (p. 157)."

"Another reason that our prayers have little power is because we fail to succor those in need (p. 159)."

"Righteous concern may lead us to appropriate action, but worrying about things we cannot control can paralyze and demoralize us. Instead of worrying, focus on doing all that you can do and then the worrying to your Heavenly Father. If your heart is right with Him, He will take care of the worry and the fear. We must learn to fret not (p. 161)."

"Instead of worrying or grumbling that our prayers have gone unanswered, we should delight ourselves in the Lord. Be grateful. Be happy. Know that the Lord, in His time, will bring about all your righteous desires, sometimes in ways we predict, others in ways we could not have possibly foreseen. What a wonderful recipe for happiness and peace (p. 163)."

"The more time we spend in righteous prayer, the more our beings will be filled with light. 'And if your eye is single to my glory,' the Lord has promised, 'your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things' (D&C 88:67). The more our souls are filled with light, the more we resemble our Father in Heaven and the more capable we are of enjoying the fruits of the Spirit (p. 164)."

"Such spiritual experiences are available to all who come before their Eternal Father with a broken heart and contrite spirit. One of the things we must do in this mortality is chase away the darkness. We must fill our souls with the light of the Holy Spirit (p. 168)."

"President Boyd K. Packer said, 'A testimony is to be found in the bearing of it. Somewhere in your quest for spiritual knowledge, there is that 'leap of faith,' as the philosophers call it. It is the moment when you have gone to the edge of the light and step into the darkness to discover that the way is lighted ahead for just a footstep or two (p. 174).'"

"Kind words not only lift our spirits in the moment they are given, but they can linger with us over the years (p. 180)."

"Kindness is the walk and talk of a celestial life. Kindness is how a Christlike person treats others, no matter what the circumstances. Kindness should permeate all of our word and actions in the home, at work, and especially in the Church (p. 181)."

"The Church is not a place where perfect people gather to say perfect things, think perfect thoughts, and feel perfect feelings. The Church is a place where imperfect people gather to provide encouragement, support, and service to each other as we press on in our journey to return to our Heavenly Father (p. 183)."

"'It has always been a cardinal teaching with the Latter-day Saints,' President Joseph F. Smith wrote, 'that a religion which has not the power to save people temporally and make them prosperous and happy here, cannot be depended upon to save them spiritually, to exalt them in the life to come.' The temporal and the spiritual are linked inseparably. As we give of our time, talents, and resources to tend the needs of the sick, offer food to the hungry, and teach the dependent to stand on their own, we enrich ourselves spiritually beyond our ability to comprehend (p. 198)."

"Every day, hundreds of thousands of faithful members lift up their hearts in prayer, asking that this great work will go forward. They plead that the hearts of the great and small will be softened. They ask that doors--some so great they open to an entire nation, others so humble they open to a single heart--will be opened. With the commission we bear and that kind of support, we will find the success and joy that come when a band of brothers embarks on a heavenly cause (p. 215)."

"Gratitude is a mark of a noble soul and a refined character. We like to be around those who are grateful. They tend to brighten everything around them. They make others feel better about themselves. They tend to be more humble, more joyful, and more likable (p. 218)."

"How do we live in thanksgiving daily? By opening our arms to those around us. When was the last time you told someone you love how much they mean to you? When was the last time you expressed your gratitude to someone who has always been there for you, someone who has sacrificed for you, someone whose heart has always been filled with hopes and dreams for you? When was the last time you unselfishly reached out to help another in need? Every time we cheer another's heart, every time we ease another's burden, every time we lift a weary hand, we show our gratitude to that God to whom we owe all we have and all that we are (p. 227)."

"Will you consider what more you can do to build the kingdom of God? Will you consider what more you can do to bless the lives of others and bring light and hope into their lives (p. 248)?"

"I urge you to examine your life. Determine where you are and what you need to do to be the kind of person you want to be. Create inspiring, noble, and righteous goals that fire your imagination and create excitement in your heart. And then keep your eye on them. Work consistently toward achieving them (p. 260)."