3
Nephi 2:16
Deep
Beauty
“If you want to give a light to others, you have to glow yourself.”—President Thomas S. Monson, “For I Was Blind, but Now I See”
What
16 And
their young men and their daughters became exceedingly fair, and they
were numbered among the Nephites, and were called Nephites. And thus
ended the thirteenth year.
Why
When parents are
good their families are blessed. When parents are bad their families
suffer as children follow the examples of their parents as a rule.
Pattern
Genesis 45:10
10
And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near
unto me, thou, and thy children,
and thy children’s children,
and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast:
Doctrine and Covenants 98:46
46
And upon his children,
and upon his children’s children of
all them that hate me, unto the third and fourth generation. [It
would be well to read all of section 98 on this subject]
Luke 18:17
17
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God
as a little child shall
in no wise enter therein.
Doctrine and Covenants 68:28
28
And they shall also teach their children to
pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord.
15
Again I say, hearken ye elders of my church, whom I have appointed:
Ye are not sent forth to be taught,
but to teach the children of
men the things which I have put into your hands by the power of my
Spirit;
42
You have not taught your children light
and truth, according to the commandments; and that wicked one hath
power, as yet, over you, and this is the cause of your affliction.
23
Now this Moses plainly taught to
the children of
Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to sanctify his
people that they might behold the face of God;
25
And again, inasmuch as parents have childrenin
Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized, that teach them
not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the
Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy
Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old, the sin
be upon the heads of the parents.
Family, Children, Responsibilities toward
See
also Josh.
24:15 ; 1 Sam.
2:12 ; 1 Sam. 3:13 ; Prov.
29:15 ; Mal.
4:6 ; 3 Jn.
1:4 ; Jacob
2:35 ; Moses
6:6
Christ
the
children became exceedingly fair because they reflected the light of
Christ. When we follow him our countenances become lighter and more
fair.
38 Every aspirit of
man was binnocent in
the beginning; and God having credeemed man
from the dfall,
men became again, in their infant state, einnocent before
God.
39 And
that awicked
one cometh
and btaketh away
light and truth, through cdisobedience,
from the children of men, and because of the dtradition of
their fathers.
41 But
verily I say unto you, my servant Frederick G. Williams, you
have continued under this condemnation;
42 You
have not ataught your
children light and truth, according to the commandments; and that
wicked one hath power, as yet, over you, and this is the cause of
your baffliction.
43 And
now a commandment I give unto you—if you will be delivered you
shall set in aorder your
own house, for there are many things that are not right in your
house.
Alma
asks a penetrating question for each of us to consider: “Have [you]
received his image in your countenances?”17
Conference
L.
Tom Perry Assistant
to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
“And
he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy
judgment, as the noonday.” (Ps.
37:3–6.)
The
scriptures have always seemed to equate righteous living with a
special light, spirit, joy, and happiness in the lives of those who
so live.
Many
years ago when I was a retail executive, we had a night watchman in
one of our stores whose teenage daughter had just joined our church.
He would often comment on the change that had occurred in the life of
his daughter. Her baptism had brought a new spirit into their home. I
was attempting to use this event as a base to teach him the gospel.
One
evening as I was leaving the store, he was by the exit checking out
the late customers who had completed their purchases after the store
had closed. I stopped for a minute to visit with him. He immediately
commenced to tell me about his daughter. He said, “You know, she
just radiates since she joined your church.”
I
proceeded to tell him that having a trust in the Lord and conforming
our life to the gospel plan does make a change, even in our
countenance. Just at that time I noticed two ladies approaching the
door with several other customers. They were neatly dressed, and
their faces reflected a special glow. As if my eyes were directed, I
immediately noticed a “Duty to God” pin on one of the lady’s
dresses, which many of our fine young men present to their mothers
after achieving this special award. I turned to my friend and said,
“Look at those two ladies coming towards the door. They have a
different look. They, too, are members of our church.”
He
was so caught up in my remark that he rushed over to them and asked,
“Are you Mormons?” After confirming this fact, he returned to me
shaking his head and saying, “You know, you can tell the
difference.” I agree with him. There is a difference in those “who
trust in the Lord and do good.”
When
one follows the course marked by the road signs of the gospel of
Jesus Christ and places his trust in the Lord, its influence is such
that it is manifest not only in action and deed but by a marked and
visible change in his very being. There is a special light and a
spirit which radiates from his eternal soul. It can be described in
words like brightness,
light, joy, happiness, peace, purity, contentment, spirit,
enthusiasm, etc.
“Where
is happiness, real happiness? Nowhere but in God. By possessing the
spirit of our holy religion, we are happy in the morning, we are
happy at noon, we are happy in the evening; for the spirit of love
and union is with us, and we rejoice in the spirit because it is of
God, and we rejoice in God, for he is the giver of every good thing.
Every Latter-day Saint, who has experienced the love of God in his
heart, after having received the remission of his sins, through
baptism, and the laying on of hands, realizes that he is filled with
joy, and happiness, and consolation. He may be in pain, in error, in
poverty, or in prison, if necessity demands, still, he is joyful.
This is our experience, and each and every Latter-day Saint can bear
witness to it.
“Truly
happy is that man or woman, or that people, who enjoys the privileges
of the Gospel of the Son of God, and who know how to appreciate his
blessings.” (Discourses
of Brigham Young, sel.
John A. Widtsoe, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1941, pp. 235–36.)
Conference
Elaine
S. Dalton Young
Women General President
There
is no more beautiful sight than a young woman who glows with the
light of the Spirit, who is confident and courageous because she is
virtuous.
We are daughters
of our Heavenly Father. He loves us, and we love Him.1 I
am humbled and grateful to be in your presence. The Lord has blessed
me with a very clear understanding of who you are and why you are
here on the earth at this time. The Lord loves you, and I know you
love Him. It shows in your countenance, in your modesty, in your
desire to choose the right, and in your commitment to remain virtuous
and pure.
Together
we have shared many choice spiritual moments. We have borne testimony
in camps around campfires, in chapels, and in firesides. We have been
warmed by the fire of our faith. We have climbed mountains and
unfurled golden banners—from Brazil to Bountiful—signifying the
commitment deep within our hearts to remain virtuous and to always be
worthy to enter the temple. We have prayed, read the Book of Mormon,
and smiled every day, and together with our mothers, grandmothers,
and leaders, we are working on our Personal Progress. And we have
only just begun!
Young
women of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, remember
who you are! You are elect. You are daughters of God. You cannot be a
generation of young women who are content to fit in. You must have
the courage to stand out, to “arise and shine forth, that thy light
may be a standard for the nations.”10 The
world would have you believe that you are not significant—that you
are out of fashion and out of touch. The world calls to you with
unrelenting, noisy voices to “live it up,” “try everything,”
“experiment and be happy.” Conversely, the Holy Ghost whispers
and the Lord invites you to “walk in the paths of virtue,” “lay
aside the things of this world,” “and cleave unto [your]
covenants.”11
When
I was attending Brigham Young University, I learned what it truly
means to be a queen. I was given a unique opportunity, along with a
small group of other students, to meet the prophet, President David
O. McKay. I was told to wear my best dress and to be ready to travel
early the next morning to Huntsville, Utah, to the home of the
prophet. I will never forget the experience I had. As soon as we
entered the home, I felt the spirit which filled that home. We were
seated in the prophet’s living room, surrounding him. President
McKay had on a white suit, and seated next to him was his wife. He
asked for each of us to come forward and tell him about ourselves. As
I went forward, he held out his hand and held mine, and as I told him
about my life and my family, he looked deeply into my eyes.
After
we had finished, he leaned back in his chair and reached for his
wife’s hand and said, “Now, young women, I would like you to
meet my
queen.”
There seated next to him was his wife, Emma Ray McKay. Although she
did not wear a crown of sparkling diamonds, nor was she seated on a
throne, I knew she
was a true queen. Her white hair was her crown, and her pure eyes
sparkled like jewels. As President and Sister McKay spoke of their
family and their life together, their intertwined hands spoke volumes
about their love. Joy radiated from their faces. Hers was a beauty
that cannot be purchased. It came from years of seeking the best
gifts, becoming well educated, seeking knowledge by study and also by
faith. It came from years of hard work, of faithfully enduring trials
with optimism, trust, strength, and courage. It came from her
unwavering devotion and fidelity to her husband, her family, and the
Lord.
On
that fall day in Huntsville, Utah, I was reminded of my divine
identity, and I learned about what I now call “deep
beauty”—the kind of beauty that shines from the inside out.
It is the kind of beauty that cannot be painted on, surgically
created, or purchased. It is the kind of beauty that doesn’t wash
off. It is spiritual attractiveness.
Deep beauty springs from virtue. It is the beauty of being chaste and
morally clean. It is the kind of beauty that you see in the eyes of
virtuous women like your mother and grandmother. It is a beauty that
is earned through faith, repentance, and honoring covenants.
The
world places so much emphasis on physical attractiveness and would
have you believe that you are to look like the elusive model on the
cover of a magazine. The Lord would tell you that you are each
uniquely beautiful. When you are virtuous, chaste, and morally clean,
your inner beauty glows in your eyes and in your face. My grandfather
used to say, “If you live close to God and His infinite grace—you
won’t have to tell, it will show in your face.”14 When
you are worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost, you are
confident and your inner beauty shines brightly. And so “let virtue
garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax
strong in the presence of God; and … the Holy Ghost shall be thy
constant companion.”15
Alma
asks a penetrating question for each of us to consider: “Have [you]
received his image in your countenances?”17
Remember,
you are daughters of our Heavenly Father. He loves you so much that
He sent His Son to show you the way to live, so that you could return
to Him someday. I testify that as you draw close to the Savior, His
infinite Atonement makes it possible for you to repent, to change, to
be pure, and to receive His image in your countenance. His Atonement
will enable you to be strong and courageous as you continue to raise
your banner for virtue. You are golden. You are the
banner!
And
so I conclude with the Lord’s words to each of us, His precious
daughters: “Behold, … thou art an elect lady, whom I have
called.”19“Walk
in the paths of virtue. … Lay aside the things of [the] world. …
Cleave unto the covenants which thou hast made. … Keep my
commandments continually, and a crown of righteousness thou shalt
receive.”20 Of
this I bear my witness in the holy name of our Savior, Jesus Christ,
amen.
Apply
I
love these words of Sister Dalton-”Young
women, look into the mirror of eternity. Remember who you are! See
yourself as our Heavenly Father sees you. You are elect. You are of
noble birth. Don’t compromise your divine inheritance. You were
born to be a queen. Live so you are worthy to enter the temple and
there receive “all that [the] Father hath.”18 Develop
deep beauty. There is no more beautiful sight than a young woman who
glows with the light of the Spirit, who is confident and courageous
because she is virtuous.
“
Hymns
305-
The Light Divine
Children
144-Shine
On
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