President Monson: 'Choose to refrain from becoming angry'

While watching a television newscast, President Thomas S. Monson said, he noticed that many of the lead stories were similar in nature, being tragedies that all traced back to one emotion: anger.

In his priesthood session address, President Monson said he thought of the words of the psalmist: "Cease from anger and forsake wrath" (Psalm 37:8).

He told of a young couple who came to his office for counseling many years ago. Life had been good for them as they had been married in the temple, the husband had good employment in his chosen field and the wife had given birth to a baby boy.

President Monson related that when the son was about 18 months old, the family was traveling on vacation by car, this at a time when seat belts and child car seats were scarcely heard of, so all three were in the front seat. The couple had an argument that escalated, and, in a moment of anger, the husband threw one of the boy's toys in the direction of the wife. It struck their son, resulting in brain damage to the boy that handicapped him for the rest of his life.

"This was one of the most tragic situations I had ever encountered," President Monson said. "I counseled and encouraged them. We talked of commitment and responsibility, of acceptance and forgiveness. We spoke of the affection and respect which needed to return to the family. We read words of comfort from the scriptures. We prayed together. Though I have not heard from them since that day so long ago, they were smiling through their tears as they left my office. All these years I've hoped they made the decision to remain together, comforted and blessed by the gospel of Jesus Christ."

Noting that there seem to be countless possible reasons for anger, President Monson told of an experience of President Heber J. Grant, seventh president of the Church. As a young adult, President Grant did work for a man, then felt slighted by the payment he was given. Ascertaining that the man had not meant to insult him, an older friend told him, "A man's a fool who takes an insult that isn't intended."

Posing the question of whether it is possible to feel the Spirit of Heavenly Father when one is angry, President Monson said, "I know of no instance where such would be the case."

He said that to be angry is to yield to Satan's influence. "No one can make us angry," he said. "It is our choice. If we desire to have a proper spirit with us at all times, we must choose to refrain from becoming angry."