The Prophet Joseph Smith lived in troubled times.

I have had the opportunity to become acquainted with many wonderful people from many walks of life. I have known rich and poor, famous and modest, wise and otherwise.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is not a religion of mourning and gloom.

Too many sit at the banquet table of the gospel of Jesus Christ and merely nibble at the feast placed before them. They go through the motions - attending their meetings perhaps, glancing at scriptures, repeating familiar prayers - but their hearts are far away.

My beloved Elisa, my companion and wife, whom I love and revere, is one of the most noble of our Heavenly Father's handmaidens.

I loved my mission in Switzerland and Germany. As I left on the train from Basel, Switzerland, tears flowed down my cheeks because I knew then that my full-time service in the Church had ended.

I love the German and the Swiss people for their many fine traits of character. I love their language that is so exacting and yet so expressive.

Bookstore operators tell us that the books which head the bestseller list are books on peace and happiness.

The spiritual self of each of us is that part of us that will never grow old, or ill, or die, but it must be nurtured and invigorated!

My own great-grandfather suffered so much from asthma that he had to walk a mile or two behind the covered wagons crossing the plains to avoid the dust. However, he always arrived at his destination and did his share of the work.

As society has shifted from an agrarian to an urban structure, the joy and necessity of diligent, hard work have been neglected.

Charity must become a fundamental state of mind and heart that guides us in all we do.

Every person on the earth today lived at one time in heavenly realms. We walked with our Heavenly Father. We knew Him. We heard His voice. We loved Him.

There are many reasons our prayers may lack power. Sometimes they become routine. Our prayers become hollow when we say similar words in similar ways over and over so often that the words become more of a recitation than a communication.

Our prayers can and should be focused on the practical, everyday struggles of life.

This I have observed: There are no language barriers in the Church. There is a mighty power that transcends the power of messages conveyed by words alone, and this is the power of messages communicated by the Spirit to our hearts.

The Spirit is as operative today in communicating the gospel to all who seek the truth as it was on the day of Pentecost anciently.

President Benson's mighty influence is felt in many ways. His timely and inspired counsel to read the precious Book of Mormon brought an added appreciation of this sacred scripture to all who followed his direction.

Immorality, violence, and divorce, with their accompanying sorrows, plague society worldwide.

Some people erroneously believe that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members are not Christian. We have difficulty understanding why anyone could accept and promote an idea that is so far from the truth.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints bears His name. He stands at its head and directs it through His chosen prophets.

Prophets have no other purpose, no other mission except to serve God.

Why must we love the Lord? Because as we do so, we become refined, pure, and holy.

Look at every Zion society from ancient times to present, and you find at its center love for others.

Yes, the fullness of the gospel is a pearl of great price worth any effort.

For each human being, time is a necessary resource. It can neither be ignored nor changed.

The notion that you can endanger your physical and mental health by letting strong passions go unsatisfied is a vicious falsehood.

Our computers have become windows through which we can gaze upon a world that is virtually without horizons or boundaries.

Modern medicine uses imaging 'windows' such as magnetic resonance imaging scanners to bring into view otherwise unseen vital information that skilled physicians can use for the benefit of their patients.

In the lonely hours, I have spent a great deal of time thinking about eternal things. I have contemplated the comforting doctrines of eternal life.

During my life I have heard many sermons on the Resurrection. I can recite the events of that first Easter Sunday. I have marked in my scriptures passages regarding the Resurrection.

Gauchos are like cowboys in the United States.

My parents were hardworking. They made every penny stretch as far as possible. That was probably the major reason everything they gave me was always two or three sizes too large.

Prior to high school, I played a lot of neighborhood football.

We cannot have the fruits of the gospel without its roots.

God truly is our Father, the Father of the spirits of all mankind. We are his literal offspring and are formed in his image. We have inherited divine characteristics from him.

Expressions of solemn testimony have long been important to the children of God upon the earth.

Logic itself affirms that a loving Heavenly Father would not abandon His children without providing a way for them to learn of Him.

A testimony of the truth of the gospel does not come the same way to all people. Some receive it in a unique, life-changing experience. Others gain a testimony slowly, almost imperceptibly until, one day, they simply know.

Wherever I go throughout the world - no matter the language, no matter the culture - I thrill to hear the testimonies of the Saints.

Jesus Christ is infinitely more than a great teacher and philosopher.

Those who make happiness the chief objective of life are bound to fail, for happiness is a by-product rather than an end in itself.

Seeing life from an eternal perspective helps us focus our limited mortal energies on the things that matter most.

As we progress and become more like the Savior, we can strengthen every group with whom we associate, including families and friends.

The word 'seek' means to go in search of, try to discover, try to acquire. It requires an active, assertive approach to life.

If we seek things that are virtuous and lovely, we surely will find them. Conversely, if we seek for evil, we will find that also.

Average leaders inspire people to punch a time clock. Great leaders inspire industry and passion.

You can get people to work by using threats or by promising rewards.

Sin may result from activities that begin innocently or that are perfectly legitimate in moderation, but in excess they can cause us to veer from the straight and narrow path to our destruction.

Many of us enjoy going to ball games and watching them on television. I am no exception. I love to watch a good athletic contest. If we spend excessive time with sporting events, however, we may neglect things that are much more important.