Quotes from the ministry of President James E. Faust

For more than 12 years President James E. Faust delivered powerful, eloquent sermons during LDS General Conference as a member of the First Presidency. Following are some highlights:

"We are all accountable for our actions. My experience as a lawyer taught me that those who follow a life of crime frequently blame their father or mother or society when they are imprisoned. Yet they willfully chose to act 'contrary to the nature of God' and consequently are 'in a state contrary to the nature of happiness' (Alma 41:11). Some of them even claim, 'The devil made me do it!' The truth in that statement is that the devil entices us to do evil. The falsehood is because we have agency. The devil can't make us do anything we choose not to do." — March 31, 2007

"If we can find forgiveness in our hearts for those who have caused us hurt and injury, we will rise to a higher level of self-esteem and well-being. ... Let us remember that we need to forgive to be forgiven." — April 1, 2007

"What is discipleship? It is primarily obedience to the Savior. Discipleship includes many things. It is chastity. It is tithing. It is family home evening. It is keeping all the commandments. It is forsaking anything that is not good for us. Everything in life has a price. Considering the Savior's great promise for peace in this life and eternal life in the life to come, discipleship is a price worth paying. It is a price we cannot afford not to pay. By measure, the requirements of discipleship are much, much less than the promised blessings." — Sept. 30, 2006

"We believe that the fulness of the gospel of Christ has been restored, but this is no reason for anyone to feel superior in any way toward others of God's children. Rather, it requires a greater obligation to invoke the essence of the gospel of Christ in our livesoto love, serve, and bless others. ... Thus we have respect for the sincere religious beliefs of others and appreciate others extending the same courtesy and respect for the tenets we hold dear." — April 2, 2006

"I bear my personal witness of the divinity of this holy work in which we are engaged. Testimonies come through revelation. This testifying revelation came to my heart as a young boy. I do not recall any specific event that prompted this confirming revelation. It just seemed always to be part of my consciousness. I am grateful for this confirming knowledge that has made it possible to handle the vicissitudes of life which come to all of us." — Oct. 1, 2005

"Holiness is the strength of the soul. It comes by faith and through obedience to God's laws and ordinances. God then purifies the heart by faith, and the heart becomes purged from that which is profane and unworthy. When holiness is achieved by conforming to God's will, one knows intuitively that which is wrong and that which is right before the Lord. Holiness speaks when there is silence, encouraging that which is good or reproving that which is wrong." — April 3, 2005

"In an increasingly unjust world to survive and even to find happiness and joy, no matter what comes, we must stand unequivocally with the Lord." — Oct. 2, 2004

"God gives us messages of instruction or encouragement to enable us to do His will. Often this is to prepare us for a specific task. This was the case with Moses in the message of the burning bush. We should keep our lives in order so that when we receive a burning bush type of message telling us what the Lord wants us to do we will be able to respond. We need to be sure we are in a position to recognize it and pursue it." — April 4, 2004

"When you pick up a stick you pick up both ends. And so it is with the gospel. As members of the church we need to accept all of it. Even limited spiritual assurance of some of the aspects of the gospel is a blessing, and in time the other elements of which you are uncertain can come through faith and obedience." — Oct. 4, 2003