First Presidency

President Dieter F Uchtdorf, General Conference April 2017

Agency, Courage, Discipleship April 6, 2017

Perfect Love Casteth Out Fear

‘The Lord has said that “when we … exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, … the heavens withdraw themselves [and] the Spirit of the Lord is grieved.” There may be moments when we are tempted to justify our actions by believing that the end justifies the means. We might even think that to be controlling, manipulative, and harsh will be for the good of others. Not so… Christ’s perfect love overcomes temptations to harm, coerce, bully, or oppress.’

Government, Liberty, Politics, Prophecy, Self Reliance, War March 7, 2017

“…dangers that lie under the present course…”

‘…we do reserve to ourselves the right to tell our people what we think is right regarding politics as affecting the fundamentals of our government system, to warn them of the dangers that lie under the present course, and to try to persuade them that their peace, their happiness, and their security do not lie along the path of the present trends of government.’

Communism, Liberty, Self Reliance, Socialism, Welfare January 2, 2017

Work and Welfare: A Historical Perspective

“That fall [of Rome], in large measure, was due to the purchasing of votes with unearned benefits, such as entertainment, circuses, and food. The government’s actions built up in the people an expectation and demand which eventually could be kept down only by the establishment of a dictatorship. Many of our members live in countries where this history has repeated itself. In the United States, our treasured American work ethic is waning and the purchasing of votes with unearned benefits is dangerously common.”

Democracy, War January 1, 2017

Postwar Planning

“…I would like to say to the priesthood of the Church, among whom there are many who are steadiers of the ark—please do not be too much concerned. The Lord will take care of the Church, if we shall but take care of ourselves.”

Last Days, Prophecy, Signs of the Times, War December 25, 2016

The Hand of God in Events on Earth

“The Prophet stood in his own house when he told several of us the night visions of Heaven were opened to him, in which he saw the American continent drenched in blood, …except among the people of the Most High.”

Discipleship, Government, Liberty, Politics, Self Reliance, Socialism, Voluntarism, Welfare September 23, 2016

“In Mine Own Way”

“We cannot afford to become wards of the government, even though we have a legal right to do so. It requires too great a sacrifice in self-respect and in political, temporal, and spiritual independence. Let us work for what we need. Let us be self-reliant and independent. Salvation can be obtained on no other principle. Salvation is an individual matter, and we must work out our own salvation, in temporal as well as in spiritual things.”

Agency, Discipleship, Voluntarism, Welfare September 10, 2016

After Love, Then What?

‘If we truly love our fellowmen, we extend ourselves to help “the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted.” For they who do these selfless acts of compassion and service, the same are disciples of Jesus Christ.’

Agency, Communism, Constitution, Discipleship, Government, Law, Liberty, Politics, Socialism, War August 15, 2016

“…one unfailing Light…”

“If we would make the world better, let us foster a keener appreciation of … freedom and liberty.”

Agency, Constitution, Discipleship, Government, Liberty, Politics, Religious Freedom August 13, 2016

“Preservation of Freedom”

“Next to the bestowal of life itself, the right to direct that life is God’s greatest gift to man. Among the immediate obligations and duties resting upon members of the Church today, and one of the most urgent and pressing for attention and action of all liberty loving people, is the preservation of individual liberty.”

Communism, Consent of Governed, Constitution, Government, Law, Liberty, Politics, Religious Freedom, Socialism, War, Welfare June 17, 2016

Political Thought and Life of J. Reuben Clark, Jr.

“…these two systems have had an almost deadly rivalry for the control of society, the Civil Law and its fundamental concepts being the instrument through which ambitious men of genius and selfishness have set up and maintained despotisms; the Common Law, with its basic principles, being the instrument through which men of equal genius, but with the love of mankind burning in their souls, have established and preserved liberty and free institutions…”