D&C 11

 For me, the directive - 

"Behold, this is your work, to keep my commandments, yea, with all your might, mind and strength."  (Doctrine and Covenants 11:20)

...seem the most stirring.

D&C 11

As Hyrum Smith desired to know the will of the Lord concerning him, he is counseled - 

"...behold, I say unto you, keep my commandments, and seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion.

7 Seek not for riches but for wisdom; and, behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold, he that hath eternal life is rich.

8 Verily, verily, I say unto you, even as you desire of me so it shall be done unto you; and, if you desire, you shall be the means of doing much good in this generation."  (Doctrine and Covenants 11:6–8)

And then the Lord adds - 

"Behold, thou hast a gift, or thou shalt have a gift if thou wilt desire of me in faith, with an honest heart, believing in the power of Jesus Christ, or in my power which speaketh unto thee..."  (Doctrine and Covenants 11:10)

Sounds much like a patriarchal blessing.

Elder Gary E. Stevenson - Days Never to Be Forgotten

 As Elder Stevenson spoke of "days never to be forgotten" in the early days of the Church, he added that the next decade would also be days never to be forgotten, expressly to the youth saying - 

"This message of the glad tidings of the gospel of Jesus Christ is the most important message on earth. And that is where the youth and young adults of the Church come in."

"Now, while this upcoming decade may be filled with days never to be forgotten for every member of the Church, this especially can be true for you of the rising generation. You are here on earth now because you were selected to be here now. You have the strength and capacity to be disciples of Christ in an unprecedented way.

President George Q. Cannon taught, “God has reserved spirits for this dispensation who have the courage and determination to face the world and all the powers of the evil one [and to] … build up the Zion of our God fearless of all consequences.”

To that end, I wish to speak to you of the rising generation, to invite you to imagine how exciting this next decade, one never to be forgotten, can be for you. I also offer a few simple words of counsel and encouragement that may empower you during this coming decade."

"Prophets of God have taught us this is done through four simple activities, referred to as divinely appointed responsibilities: first, living the gospel of Jesus Christ; second, caring for those in need; third, inviting all to receive the gospel; and fourth, uniting families for eternity. Remarkably, each can be done in the most normal and natural ways."

"First, live the gospel of Jesus Christ. Study the words of the prophets, and learn to love your Father in Heaven. Incline your hearts to Him, and strive to walk in His way. Be lifted by the “covenant confidence” that Elder Ulisses Soares has described. This confidence comes from making covenants to follow Jesus Christ, knowing that the Savior will in turn strengthen and support you.

Let your friends see the joy you feel in living the gospel, and you will be the best gospel message they ever receive."

"Second, reach out in compassion to care for those in need. Your generation is unusually mindful of the less fortunate. Whenever disaster strikes and Church members rush to help clear away debris and comfort the afflicted, it seems the majority wearing “Helping Hands” T-shirts are teenagers and twentysomethings. It is in your nature “to bear one another’s burdens” and “comfort those that stand in need of comfort.” By doing this we “fulfil the law of Christ.”

"Third, invite all to receive the gospel. This year we opened 36 new missions worldwide to accommodate all who desire to serve full-time missions. In an era when many youth are opting out of formal religious activity altogether, this is remarkable and speaks to the magnificent nature of your testimonies. Whether serving full-time or not, please realize your immense capacity to influence your peers as you love, share, and invite them to explore the gospel of Jesus Christ.""

"Fourth, unite families for eternity. As I visit temples around the world, I marvel at the standing-room-only crowds of youth waiting at the baptistry and the increased numbers of young adults serving as ordinance workers. Recently a group of over 600 youth from Scotland and Ireland traveled to the Preston England Temple, performing over 4,000 ordinances, many of which were for their personal deceased ancestors! I urge you to become engaged in family history, spend time in the temple, and carefully prepare yourself to be the kind of man or woman ready to marry an equally worthy companion in the temple. Develop a pattern in your life now to make the temple a regular part of your lives."

D&C 10

 I've always wondered if the lost initial 116 pages of The Book of Mormon would surface, and it would be fun to read.  But the Lord gave a reasonable answer why it would not be good saying - 

"...behold, Satan hath put it into their hearts to alter the words which you have caused to be written, or which you have translated, which have gone out of your hands.

11 And behold, I say unto you, that because they have altered the words, they read contrary from that which you translated and caused to be written..."  (Doctrine and Covenants 10:10–11)

That purpose would even hold to today, for the pages have been altered aad therefor misleading and untrue.

D&C 10

 Where we normally blame Martin Harris for the loss of the 116 pages of The Book of Mormon, the Lord impresses on Joseph Smith that it was him that was the cause saying "you" at least 13 times in the first 9 verses of section 10.

Another scripture that caught my mind was - 

"Do not run faster or labor more than you have strength and means provided to enable you to translate; but be diligent unto the end."  (Doctrine and Covenants 10:4)

I believe this instruction is for all in their callings.

D&C 9

 As the Lord taught the Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery on the process of receiving revelation, He said - 

"Do this thing which I have commanded you, and you shall prosper. Be faithful, and yield to no temptation."  (Doctrine and Covenants 9:13)

For me, strong instruction

President Jeffrey R. Holland - I Am He

 Quoting the Savior's words, Elder Holland explained - 

"As the soldiers approached, Jesus, in an effort to protect His disciples, stepped forth and said, “Whom seek ye?” They replied, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said, “I am he. … As soon … as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.”

To me, that is one of the most stirring lines in all of scripture. Among other things, it tells me straightforwardly that just being in the presence of the Son of God—the great Jehovah of the Old Testament and Good Shepherd of the New, who bears no weapons of any kind—that just hearing the voice of this Refuge from the Storm, this Prince of Peace, is enough to send antagonists stumbling into retreat, piling them in a jumble, making the whole group wish they had been assigned kitchen duty that night.

Just a few days earlier, when He had entered the city triumphantly, “all the city was moved,” the scripture says, asking, “Who is this?” I can only imagine that “Who is this?” is the question those muddled soldiers were now asking!

The answer to that question could not have been in His looks, for Isaiah had prophesied some seven centuries earlier that “he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.” It certainly wasn’t in His polished wardrobe or His great personal wealth, of which He had neither. It could not be from any professional training in the local synagogues because we have no evidence that He ever studied at any of them, though even in His youth He could confound superbly prepared scribes and lawyers, astonishing them with His doctrine “as one having authority.”"

President Hollands message was about love, love of God and fellowman.

"During His mortal mission, Jesus taught that there were two great commandments. They have been taught in this conference and will forever be taught: “Love the Lord thy God [and] love thy neighbour as thyself.” If we are to follow the Savior faithfully in these two crucial and inextricably linked rules, we ought to hold firmly to what He actually said. And what He actually said was, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” On that same evening, He said we were to “love one another; as I have loved you.”"

"First, He loved with “all [of His] heart, might, mind and strength,” giving Him the ability to heal the deepest pain and declare the hardest reality. In short, He is one who could administer grace and insist on truth at the same time. As Lehi said in his blessing to his son Jacob, “Redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth.” His love allows an encouraging embrace when it is needed and a bitter cup when it has to be swallowed. So we try to love—with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength—because that is the way He loves us.

The second characteristic of Jesus’s divine charity was His obedience to every word that proceeded from God’s mouth, always aligning His will and behavior with that of His Heavenly Father."

D&C 8

 As the Lord teaches Oliver Cowdery concerning the doctrine of revelation, He states - 

"Remember that without faith you can do nothing; therefore ask in faith. Trifle not with these things; do not ask for that which you ought not."  (Doctrine and Covenants 8:10)

We can only fulfill our callings in faith!

D&C 7

 I think it is interesting that the Lord said to Peter concerning John - 

"...I will make thee to minister for him and for thy brother James; and unto you three I will give this power and the keys of this ministry until I come."  (Doctrine and Covenants 7:7)

In my mind, though John is yet alive ministering to righteous men, Peter was to continue after his death for minister to John and James.

D&C 6

 The Lord said to Oliver Cowdery - 

"Behold thou hast a gift, and blessed art thou because of thy gift. Remember it is sacred and cometh from above—

11 And if thou wilt inquire, thou shalt know mysteries which are great and marvelous; therefore thou shalt exercise thy gift, that thou mayest find out mysteries, that thou mayest bring many to the knowledge of the truth, yea, convince them of the error of their ways.

12 Make not thy gift known unto any save it be those who are of thy faith. Trifle not with sacred things."  Doctrine and Covenants 6:10–12)

Though we do not know exactly what this gift was (there is much speculation), we do know that everyone has been given a gift if not many gifts.  I believe that this applies to all who have been been given gifts.

Elder David A. Bednar - In the Space of Not Many Years

 Elder Bednar summarized his remarks with - 

If we are not faithful and obedient, we can transform the God-given blessing of prosperity into a prideful curse that diverts and distracts us.

"How could a once-righteous people become hardened and wicked in such a short period of time? How could people so quickly forget the God who had blessed them so abundantly?

In a powerful and profound way, the negative example of the Nephites is instructive for us today.

“Pride … began to enter … into the hearts of the people who professed to belong to the church of God … because of their exceedingly great riches and their prosperity in the land.”"

“[They] set [their] hearts upon the riches and the vain things of this world” “because of that pride which [they] … suffered to enter [into their] hearts, which … lifted [them] up beyond that which is good because of [their] exceedingly great riches!”

"Ancient voices from the dust plead with us today to learn this everlasting lesson: prosperity, possessions, and ease constitute a potent mixture that can lead even the righteous to drink the spiritual poison of pride.

Allowing pride to enter into our hearts can cause us to mock that which is sacred; disbelieve in the spirit of prophecy and revelation; trample under our feet the commandments of God; deny the word of God; cast out, mock, and revile against the prophets; and forget the Lord our God and “not desire that the Lord [our] God, who hath created [us], should rule and reign over [us].”

Therefore, if we are not faithful and obedient, we can transform the God-given blessing of prosperity into a prideful curse that diverts and distracts us from eternal truths and vital spiritual priorities. We always must be on guard against a pride-induced and exaggerated sense of self-importance, a misguided evaluation of our own self-sufficiency, and seeking self instead of serving others.

As we pridefully focus upon ourselves, we also are afflicted with spiritual blindness and miss much, most, or perhaps all that is occurring within and around us. We cannot look to and focus upon Jesus Christ as the “mark” if we only see ourselves."

"May I suggest that if you or I believe we are sufficiently strong and stalwart to avoid the arrogance of pride, then perhaps we already are suffering from this deadly spiritual disease. Simply stated, if you or I do not believe we could be afflicted with and by pride, then we are vulnerable and in spiritual danger. In the space of not many days, weeks, months, or years, we might forfeit our spiritual birthright for far less than a mess of pottage."

"As we follow President Benson’s counsel and ask ourselves why the Lord inspired Mormon to include in his abridgment of the book of Helaman the accounts, admonitions, and warnings that he did, I promise we will discern the applicability of these teachings to the specific conditions of our individual lives and families today. As we study and ponder this inspired record, we will be blessed with eyes to see, ears to hear, minds to comprehend, and hearts to understand the lessons we should learn to “beware of pride, lest [we should] enter into temptation.”"

D&C 6

 The Lord said to the Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery - 

"Seek not for riches but for wisdom, and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you..."  Doctrine and Covenants 6:7)

Concerning the "mysteries of God", Joseph Fielding Smith taught - 

“The Lord has promised to reveal his mysteries to those who serve him in faithfulness.…There are no mysteries pertaining to the Gospel, only as we, in our weakness, fail to comprehend Gospel truth.…The ‘simple’ principles of the Gospel, such as baptism, the atonement, are mysteries to those who do not have the guidance of the Spirit of the Lord.” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:43.)

He told them - 

"Say nothing but repentance unto this generation..."  (Doctrine and Covenants 6:9)

I believe that means nothing but doctrine, principles, revealed truths, ordinances and covenants that lead to repentance.

D&C 5

 The Lord taught Martin Harris  what is needed to repent saying more than stopping the sin - 

"...except he humble himself and acknowledge unto me the things that he has done which are wrong, and covenant with me that he will keep my commandments, and exercise faith in me, behold, I say unto him, he shall have no such views, for I will grant unto him no views of the things of which I have spoken."  (Doctrine and Covenants 5:28)

D&C 5

 The Lord instructs Martin Harris - 

"...I speak unto you, my servant Joseph, concerning the man that desires the witness—

24 Behold, I say unto him, he exalts himself and does not humble himself sufficiently before me; but if he will bow down before me, and humble himself in mighty prayer and faith, in the sincerity of his heart, then will I grant unto him a view of the things which he desires to see.

25 And then he shall say unto the people of this generation: Behold, I have seen the things which the Lord hath shown unto Joseph Smith, Jun., and I know of a surety that they are true, for I have seen them, for they have been shown unto me by the power of God and not of man.

26 And I the Lord command him, my servant Martin Harris, that he shall say no more unto them concerning these things, except he shall say: I have seen them, and they have been shown unto me by the power of God; and these are the words which he shall say."  (Doctrine and Covenants 5:23–26)

I think it is interesting that the Lord instructs Martin - 

"...that he shall say no more unto them concerning these things..."

Sometimes in our pride we want to tell more.  But we have to be careful to only say what we are instructed to say in our callings.

Elder Gerrit W. Gong - Holiness to the Lord in Everyday Life

 Elder Gong taught - 

"All around us are opportunities to laugh, delight, see with grateful eyes. Ours is a gospel of joy and holiness in everyday life. Holiness sets things apart for sacred purpose. But holiness also invites us to infuse daily living with the sacred—to rejoice in daily bread amidst this world’s thistles and thorns. To walk with the Lord, we must become holy, for He is holy, and to help us become holy, the Lord invites us to walk with Him."

"What researchers call “religious structural stability” offers clarity, purpose, and inspiration amidst life’s twists and turns. The household of faith and community of Saints combat isolation and the lonely crowd. Holiness to the Lord says no to the profane, no to snarky cleverness at others’ expense, no to algorithms that monetize anger and polarization. Holiness to the Lord says yes to the sacred and reverent, yes to our becoming our freest, happiest, most authentic, best selves as we follow Him in faith."

"Holiness to the Lord makes daily living sacred. It draws us closer and happier to the Lord and each other and prepares us to live with God our Father, Jesus Christ, and our loved ones."

D&C 4

 As I read this morning - 

"Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence."  (Doctrine and Covenants 4:6)

My thoughts were that each of these principles influence others around us.  

D&C 4

 The first revelation that the Prophet Joseph Smith gave to a person who may have wanted to know the will of the Lord concerning them was to his father.  Before the Church was organized and any callings issued, the Lord declared - 

"Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.

3 Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;

4 For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;

5 And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work."  (Doctrine and Covenants 4:2–5)

Many consider this a revelation on missionary work.  But my thoughts this morning went more to the gathering of Israel with an emphasis on both sides of the veil.  Obvisously, temple work as a patron and as a worker should be considered in this work.

D&C 3

 Much of the words of this section I feel apply directly to me - 

"...God doth not walk in crooked paths, neither doth he turn to the right hand nor to the left, neither doth he vary from that which he hath said, therefore his paths are straight, and his course is one eternal round."  Doctrine and Covenants 3:2)

"Remember, remember that it is not the work of God that is frustrated, but the work of men;

4 For although a man may have many revelations, and have power to do many mighty works, yet if he boasts in his own strength, and sets at naught the counsels of God, and follows after the dictates of his own will and carnal desires, he must fall and incur the vengeance of a just God upon him.

5 Behold, you have been entrusted with these things, but how strict were your commandments; and remember also the promises which were made to you, if you did not transgress them.

6 And behold, how oft you have transgressed the commandments and the laws of God, and have gone on in the persuasions of men.

7 For, behold, you should not have feared man more than God. Although men set at naught the counsels of God, and despise his words—

8 Yet you should have been faithful; and he would have extended his arm and supported you against all the fiery darts of the adversary; and he would have been with you in every time of trouble."  (Doctrine and Covenants 3:3–8)

"Except thou do this, thou shalt be delivered up and become as other men, and have no more gift."  (Doctrine and Covenants 3:11)