The Power of Words

One of several (if not many) of the bonuses of being the only non-married person among my siblings is that, at Christmas, my mom is always overgenerous and gets me a handful of wonderful gifts. It only seems fair, right? I have no spouse or children to buy my presents, so my mom steps in and takes care of me. :) I don't mind! Although I did tell her this past Christmas she is not allowed to buy me presents like she has been all these years. I'll let her buy me ONE. Or maybe two small ones. haha. Just kiddin'. I'm totally content to just be there on Christmas, But anyway, I digress.

My favorite gift she got me last month was The Neal A. Maxwell Quote Book. When I first saw that book, I wanted it so bad and had mentioned it to her late summer. It really wasn't a hint, I promise. We happened to be at the church bookstore together and I talked of how I would love it and planned on getting it soon. Little did I know, she made a note to herself for potential future Christmas present ideas. Genius! She's a genius. I never know what to get people come December, but she suggested that if you pay attention all year long, you'll know just what to get someone come the season of giving. I gotta remember that! Anyway, the apostle, Elder Maxwellhad a way with words that made you think twice or three times after hearing him speak or reading something he wrote. His words were always that profound. I remember when I was old enough to appreciate his talks at General Conference. Did I always understand what he was saying? No. But that was the beauty of his ways. I had to go back and listen again or read it again to get it, even half way. Here are a few of my most recent finds and favorites:

"One wonders, even in good people, if peevishness is not one of the last tendencies to be conquered. Littleness in big people is always disappointing. Perhaps such littleness is like litter on an otherwise lovely lawn.; we must not be judgmental, of course, but we cannot help noticing. Even so, we'd best look first to our own lawns". (Notwithstanding My Weakness, 51)

"Endurance is more than pacing up and down within the cell of our circumstances; it is not only acceptance of the things allotted to us, but to "act for ourselves" by magnifying what is allotted to us (Alma 29:3,6). Ensign, May 1990, 33)

"Let us have integrity and not write checks with our tongues which our conduct cannot cash." (Quote Book, Preface)

"Decisions made in the midst of fatigue are seldom the best decisions, and agreements reached between the exhausted may last only until some of the participants are revived." (The Smallest Part, 48)

"Our faith must ride out our moods, or our discipleship will be too much at the mercy of mood, men, and circumstance." (Wherefore, Ye Must Press Forward, 35)

That's all, for now. There's plenty more where that came from.