Alma 32:35-Growing Testimony

President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency:

“You have felt the quiet confirmation in your heart and mind that something was true. And you knew that it was inspiration from God. … It may have come during a talk, lesson, or hymn in church. The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of Truth. You feel peace, hope, and joy when He speaks to your heart and mind that something is true. Almost always I have also felt a sensation of light. Any feeling I may have had of darkness is dispelled, and my desire to do right grows” (Henry B. Eyring, “Gifts of the Spirit for Hard Times,” Ensign, June 2007, 18).

Alma 26:24-25 Christ's Atonement

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:

“However late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talents you think you don’t have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines” (Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Laborers in the Vineyard,” Ensign orLiahona, May 2012, 33).

Alma 29:4

Neal A. Maxwell (1926–2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:

“What we insistently desire, over time, is what we will eventually become and what we will receive in eternity. …

“… Only by educating and training our desires can they become our allies instead of our enemies!” (Neal A. Maxwell, “According to the Desire of [Our] Hearts,” Ensign, Nov. 1996, 21, 22).

Alma 22:15-16 Sacrifice of all things

Joseph Smith:

“Let us here observe, that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation; for, from the first existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things. It was through this sacrifice, and this only, that God has ordained that men should enjoy eternal life; and it is through the medium of the sacrifice of all earthly things that men do actually know that they are doing the things that are well pleasing in the sight of God. When a man has offered in sacrifice all that he has for the truth’s sake, not even withholding his life, and believing before God that he has been called to make this sacrifice because he seeks to do his will, he does know, most assuredly, that God does and will accept his sacrifice and offering, and that he has not, nor will not seek his face in vain. Under these circumstances, then, he can obtain the faith necessary for him to lay hold on eternal life” (Lectures on Faith [1985], 69).

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. 

“To set aside cherished ‘weapons of rebellion’ such as selfishness, pride, and disobedience requires more than merely believing and knowing. Conviction, humility, repentance, and submissiveness precede the abandonment of our weapons of rebellion. Do you and I still possess weapons of rebellion that keep us from becoming converted unto the Lord? If so, then we need to repent now” (David A. Bednar, “Converted unto the Lord,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2012, 108–9).

Alma 15:3, 5 Guilt

Elder David A. Bednar

“Guilt is to our spirit what pain is to our body—a warning of danger and a protection from additional damage” (David A. Bednar, “We Believe in Being Chaste,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2013, 44).

Alma 15:8-10 Faith to be healed

President Dallin H. Oaks

“When we have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we must have trust in him. We must trust him enough that we are content to accept his will, knowing that he knows what is best for us. …

“… Faith, no matter how strong it is, cannot produce a result contrary to the will of him whose power it is. … We cannot have true faith in the Lord without also having complete trust in the Lord’s will and in the Lord’s timing” (Dallin H. Oaks, “Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,” Ensign, May 1994, 99, 100).

Alma 10-11

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

“Perhaps, like Amulek, you know in your heart that the Lord has ‘called [you] many times,’ but you ‘would not hear’ [see Alma 10:6].

“Nevertheless, the Lord sees in you what He saw in Amulek—the potential of a valiant servant with an important work to do and with a testimony to share. There is service that no one else can give in quite the same way. … Listen with your heart and follow the promptings of the Spirit” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Learn from Alma and Amulek,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2016, 73).


President Boyd K. Packer (1924–2015) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:

President Boyd K. Packer
“It is not expected that you go through life without making mistakes, but you will not make a major mistake without first being warned by the promptings of the Spirit. This promise applies to all members of the Church. …

“If you are slipping into things that you should not slip into or if you are associating with people who are pulling you away in the wrong direction, that is the time to assert your independence, your agency. Listen to the voice of the Spirit, and you will not be led astray.

“… As a servant of the Lord, I promise that you will be protected and shielded from the attacks of the adversary if you will heed the promptings that come from the Holy Spirit” (Boyd K. Packer, “Counsel to Youth,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 18).

Faith, Prayer, and Agency- Alma 8

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf explained why people may not respond, even though we may pray mightily for them.

“Faith is powerful, and often it does result in miracles. But no matter how much faith we have, … it cannot violate another person’s agency.

“One woman prayed for years that her wayward daughter would return to the fold of Christ and felt discouraged that her prayers had seemingly gone unanswered. This was especially painful when she heard stories of other prodigal children who had repented of their ways. The problem was not a lack of prayers or a shortage of faith. She needed only to understand that, as painful as it might be for our Father in Heaven, He will not force anyone to choose the path of righteousness. …

“God will invite, persuade. God will reach out tirelessly with love and inspiration and encouragement. But God will never compel—that would undermine His great plan for our eternal growth” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Fourth Floor, Last Door,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2016, 16–17).

Mosiah 23:21 Trials

Elder Orson F. Whitney (1855–1931) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught that everything we experience teaches us valuable lessons:

“No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God … and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father and Mother in heaven” (as quoted in Spencer W. Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle[1972], 98).

Doctrinal Mastery Anchor Scriptures

Doctrinal Mastery Anchor Scriptures

Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge James 1:5-6 If you lack wisdom, ask of God

THE GODHEAD D&C 130:22-23 The Father and Son have bodies of flesh and bone

THE PLAN OF SALVATION Moses 1:39 God’s work and glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man

THE ATONEMENT OF JESUS CHRIST Alma 7:11-13 Jesus Christ experienced our pains and overcame sin and death

THE RESTORATION JSH 1:15-20 In the First Vision, God called Joseph Smith to be a prophet

PROPHETS AND REVELATION Amos 3:7 God reveals His secrets to His prophets

PRIESTHOOD AND PRIESTHOOD KEYS Matthew 16:15-19 Jesus Christ promised to build His Church and confer the keys of the kingdom

ORDINANCES AND COVENANTS D&C 84:20-22 The power of godliness is manifest in priesthood ordinances

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY D&C 49:15-17 Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God 
COMMANDMENTS John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments

Jacob 6:12 Be Wise and Happy

President Gordon B. Hinckley:

“Don’t make the kinds of mistakes that will bring regret. You can be wise and happy or stupid and miserable. The choice is yours” (December 2006 New Year's Eve Youth Devotional).

Jacob 5:7 God Loves You

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the First Presidency:

“God loves you this very day and always.

“He is not waiting to love you until you have overcome your weaknesses and bad habits. He loves you today with a full understanding of your struggles. … He knows of your sufferings. He knows of your remorse for the times you have fallen short or failed. And still He loves you” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Living the Gospel Joyful,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2014, 123).

President Russel M. Nelson
"While divine love can be called perfect, infinite, enduring, and universal, it cannot correctly be characterized as unconditional. The word does not appear in the scriptures. On the other hand, many verses affirm that the higher levels of love the Father and the Son feel for each of us—and certain divine blessings stemming from that love—are conditional. Before citing examples, it is well to recognize various forms of conditional expression in the scriptures." 
"Why is divine love conditional? Because God loves us and wants us to be happy. “Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God" 
("Divine Love," Ensign, Feb 2003).

Jacob 2:16 Pride

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

“At its core, pride is a sin of comparison, for though it usually begins with ‘Look how wonderful I am and what great things I have done,’ it always seems to end with ‘Therefore, I am better than you.’ …

“… This is the sin of ‘Thank God I am more special than you.’ At its core is the desire to be admired or envied. It is the sin of self-glorification” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Pride and the Priesthood,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2010, 56).

See also: Mere Christianity, Book 3, Chapter 8, "The Great Sin" and "Beware of Pride" by President Ezra Taft Benson.

The Holy Ghost 2 Nephi 32:3

Parley P. Pratt:

"An intelligent being, in the image of God, possesses every organ, attribute, sense, sympathy, affection, of will, wisdom, love, power and gift, which is possessed by God himself."
"But these are possessed by man, in his rudimental state, in a subordinate sense of the word. Or, in other words, these attributes are in embryo; and are to be gradually developed. They resemble a bud — a germ, which gradually develops into bloom, and then, by progress, produces the mature fruit, after its own kind."
"The gift of the Holy Spirit adapts itself to all these organs or attributes. It quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, enlarges, expands and purifies all the natural passions and affections; and adapts them, by the gift of wisdom, to their lawful use. It inspires, develops, cultivates and matures all the fine-toned sympathies, joys, tastes, kindred feelings and affections of our nature. It inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness and charity. It develops beauty of person, form and features. It tends to health, vigor, animation and social feeling. It develops and invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intellectual man. It strengthens, invigorates, and gives tone to the nerves. In short, it is, as it were, marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being."
(Pratt, Parley P. Key to the Science of Theology. Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1874. 95-102).

2 Nephi 13:9 Countenance

Elder Spencer V. Jones of the Seventy:

“At times, consequences of sin may appear to be very subtle to the sinner. We may even convince ourselves … that no one will be able to detect our sins and that they are well concealed. But always to our Heavenly Father and often to spiritually sensitive leaders, parents, and friends, our sins are glaringly apparent.

“While attending a youth fireside with Elder Richard G. Scott, I noticed five youths scattered among the congregation whose countenances or body language almost screamed that something was spiritually amiss in their lives. After the meeting, when I mentioned the five youths to Elder Scott, he simply replied, ‘There were eight’” (Spencer V. Jones, “Overcoming the Stench of Sin,”Ensign or Liahona, May 2003, 88).

2 Nephi 9:9

Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught what our fate would be without the Atonement of Jesus Christ: “If our separation from God and our physical death were permanent, moral agency would mean nothing. Yes, we would be free to make choices, but what would be the point? The end result would always be the same no matter what our actions: death with no hope of resurrection and no hope of heaven. As good or as bad as we might choose to be, we would all end up ‘angels to a devil’ [2 Nephi 9:9]” (D. Todd Christofferson, “Moral Agency,” Ensign, June 2009, 50).

Testimony of Joseph Smith

President Brigham Young (1801–77):

“It was decreed in the counsels of eternity, long before the foundations of the earth were laid, that he, Joseph Smith, should be the man, in the last dispensation of this world, to bring forth the word of God to the people, and receive the fulness of the keys and power of the Priesthood of the Son of God. The Lord had his eyes upon him, and upon his father, and upon his father’s father, and upon their progenitors clear back … to Adam. He has watched that family and that blood as it has circulated from its fountain to the birth of that man. He was fore-ordained in eternity to preside over this last dispensation” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young [1997], 96, 343).

Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:

“The negative commentary about the Prophet Joseph Smith will increase as we move toward the Second Coming of the Savior. The half-truths and subtle deceptions will not diminish. There will be family members and friends who will need your help. …


“To the youth … , I give a specific challenge: Gain a personal witness of the Prophet Joseph Smith.” 

“A testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith can come differently to each of us. It may come as you kneel in prayer, asking God to confirm that he was a true prophet. It may come as you read the Prophet’s account of the First Vision. A testimony may distill upon your soul as you read the Book of Mormon again and again. It may come as you bear your own testimony of the Prophet or as you stand in the temple and realize that through Joseph Smith the holy sealing power was restored to the earth. With faith and real intent, your testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith will strengthen” (Neil L. Andersen, “Joseph Smith,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2014, 30).

Opposition

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:

“God’s premortal children could not become like him and enjoy his breadth of blessings unless they obtained both a physical body and temporal experience in an arena where both good and evil were present. …

“… We wanted the chance to become like our heavenly parents, to face suffering and overcome it, to endure sorrow and still live rejoicingly, to confront good and evil and be strong enough to choose the good” (Jeffrey R. Holland, Christ and the New Covenant: The Messianic Message of the Book of Mormon [1997], 200, 204).

Agency

Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

“Four great principles must be in force if there is to be agency: 1. Laws must exist … which can be obeyed or disobeyed; 2. Opposites must exist—good and evil, virtue and vice, right and wrong—that is, there must be an opposition, one force pulling one way and another pulling the other; 3. A knowledge of good and evil must be had by those who are to enjoy the agency, that is, they must know the differences between the opposites; and 4. An unfettered power of choice must prevail” (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. [1966], 26).

1 Nephi 17:45 Past Feeling

President James E. Faust (1920–2007) of the First Presidency.

Listen for an analogy between cell phone communication and communication with the Lord:

“Occasionally … we find dead spots where the signal coming to a cell phone fails. This can happen when the cell phone user is in a tunnel or a canyon or when there is other interference. So it is with divine communication. … We often put ourselves in spiritual dead spots—places and situations that block out divine messages. Some of these dead spots include anger, pornography, transgression, selfishness, and other situations that offend the Spirit” (James E. Faust, “Did You Get the Right Message?” Ensign or Liahona, May 2004, 67).

1 Nephi 13:1-9 Great and Abominable Church

Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–1985) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:

“The titles church of the devil and great and abominable church are used to identify all … organizations of whatever name or nature—whether political, philosophical, educational, economic, social, fraternal, civic, or religious—which are designed to take men on a course that leads away from God and his laws and thus from salvation in the kingdom of God” (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. [1966], 137–38).