Individual Worth
Harry Potter and the Five Gospel Truths
I testify to you that there is another, a greater One, who lived, who walked the dusty roads of Galilee, who atoned for our sins, who was crucified and resurrected, and who lives again.
Discovering Your Divine Individuality
We are supposed to be different! We were created as such for our individual growth and the growth of our friends and neighbors. Our individuality began before we were here and will continue on after we leave.
B-Y-You Matter to Him
President Monson spoke undeniable truth when he said, “One day, when we look back at seeming coincidences of our lives, we will realize that perhaps they weren’t so coincidental after all.”
Be Anchored in Order to Soar
While the trials and challenges we face may be difficult, we are taught that they are needed for our growth, just as a kite needs a strong opposing wind to soar.
The Worth of Souls Is Great
It is my testimony that God is love, that the gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of love, and that true discipleship requires sharing that love with all people. It is my hope that we will be able to recognize and reject those false systems of value that demean and divide and instead embrace the love that is true discipleship.
"Yea, They May Forget, Yet Will I Not Forget Thee"
The creator actively remembers His creation. Closely linked to His remembrance of us is the loving attention associated with it. He not only remembers you; He cares deeply about where you are, what you are doing, who you are becoming, and what you are feeling.
Comparing, Competing, and Individual Worth
Those who view their contemporaries as competitors to be beaten rather than as brothers and sisters to be served often believe that others’ successes diminish their own. They are therefore more apt to find and point out faults of those around them.
How Do We Think about What Is Human?: C. S. Lewis and The Abolition of Man
Political philosophy professor Jean Bethke Elshtain, citing C.S. Lewis, warns against tampering with our definition of what is human and deserving of life.
The Crucibles of Eternal Identity
Our prophets have reminded us that this mortal estate is a school to learn how to be gods and goddesses, having increase and creating worlds while giving all glory to the Father. I would like to suggest that crucibles are one way in which we move toward eternity—connecting our premortal, mortal, and postmortal identities.
Our Spiritual Eyeglasses: What You See Is What You Get
If your beliefs are based on gospel perspectives, your glasses or belief window will allow you to see eternity from a celestial kingdom perspective. On the other hand, if your belief lenses are made from a non-gospel or worldly prescription, you will see just the opposite and earn your place for eternity in one of the lower kingdoms. So, what you see is what you get—literally.
“To Thine Own Self Be True”
Knowing and being true to who we are—children of God, unique, with special gifts and infinite wort—helps us to rise above discouragement and find happiness.
Secular and Sacred Individuality
I am grateful for the opportunity to speak with you, because I have a hint as to who you are and what you will become. I have also fallen in love with this university, its students, and its mission to balance the sacred and the secular. President Bateman indicated earlier this semester that this balance “is at the core of this institution’s existence” (Merrill J. Bateman, “The Mission of Brigham…
Your Good Name
Thank you, President Snow, for that introduction. It is a thrill for me to think of you in so many settings. I have tremendous respect for you, the work you are doing, and the decisions you are making at this time in life. If I have ever visited with any of you in the past, perhaps you noticed that my name has changed. I was married in April to a…
The Lord Doesn’t Grade on a Curve
The Lord knows us individually and does not grade on a competitive "curve." We should not measure our worth by comparing ourselves to others.
One Out of Many
We are all alike, and yet so very different. This truth reflects one of the most unusual aspects of the Creation, that there should be such wide diversity in the midst of apparent uniformity. For example, as I look out over this vast audience, it is impossible for me to differentiate among the sea of faces. It reminds me somewhat of the jest of one of our Japanese friends who…
“How Many Is One?”
How many is one person? Our potential is much greater than we realize, especially when empowered by wisdom, honesty, testimony, and the Holy Ghost.