Excerpts from Recent Addresses of President Gordon B. Hinckley

Following are selected excerpts from public expressions and addresses given by President Gordon B. Hinckley during recent months, printed here for the benefit of Church members

Temple Work

“I wish, my brethren and sisters, we would get more enthusiastic about temple work. I know this—that everyone who engages in this service has revealed unto him a conviction of the truth of the principles underlying this service” (Tacoma, Washington, regional conference, 20 Aug. 1995).

Followers of the Lord

“My plea to you, my urgent plea to you, is to live the gospel. Stand as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ who are trying to emulate in your lives the great teachings which He set forth when He walked the earth. None of us will fully reach a stage where we can walk as He walked in this life, but we can work at it. And the more we work at it, the more easily we shall take on the luster of His image in our own lives. Be faithful; be true. Stand by your testimonies. When all is said and done, the most precious thing you have is the gospel of Jesus Christ” (fireside in Crawley, England, 26 Aug. 1995).

Humor

“We need to have a little humor in our lives. We better take seriously that which should be taken seriously, but at the same time we can bring in a touch of humor now and again. If the time ever comes when we can’t smile at ourselves, it will be a sad time” (interview with Church News, 1 Sept. 1995).

Be Believing

“I bring to your attention those great words of the Lord to Thomas: ‘Be not faithless, but believing’ [John 20:27]. This is such a marvelous season of your lives. It is a time not only of positive thinking but sometimes of critical thinking. Let me urge you to not let your critical thinking override your faith” (Ricks College multistake conference, Rexburg, Idaho, 29 Oct. 1995).

Sending Missionaries

“There is not a home from which missionaries come that will not be enriched and blessed because of their service in the cause of the Lord. What a wonderful thing this great program is. How grateful every father and mother ought to be who has a missionary in the field. What a wonderful service it is” (Sandy Utah Cottonwood Creek Stake conference, 3 Dec. 1995).

Blessing of Death

“What a wonderful thing is death, really, when all is said and done. It is the great reliever. It is a majestic, quiet passing on from this life to another life, a better life. I’m satisfied of that. We go to a place where we will not suffer as we have suffered here, but where we will continue to grow, accumulating knowledge and developing and being useful under the plan of the Almighty made possible through the Atonement of the Son of God” (funeral services for Robert G. Wade, Salt Lake City, Utah, 3 Jan. 1996).

Profanity

“You can’t use that filthy, dirty language that’s so common in the high schools and other schools—you can’t do it!—if you believe you’re a child of God, without betraying your birthright” (Parowan, Utah, youth fireside, 13 Jan. 1996).

Husbands and Wives Are Equal

“Your wives are indispensable to your eternal progress. I hope you will never forget that. There are a few men in this Church—I’m glad there are not very many, but there are a few—who think they are superior to their wives. They better realize that they will not be able to achieve the highest degree of glory in the celestial kingdom without their wives standing at their side equally beside them. Brethren, they are daughters of God. Treat them as such” (Veracruz, Mexico, regional conference, priesthood leadership meeting, 27 Jan. 1996).

Patriarchal Blessings

“Our people should live worthy to receive a patriarchal blessing. It’s such a privilege. It’s such an opportunity. To the patriarchs, I hope, brethren, that you will recognize the fact that it is so important that you keep yourselves in harmony with the Spirit of the Lord to speak words prophetic and by way of counsel and admonition and whatever you may be inclined to speak, including the declaration of lineage. It is such a precious and wonderful thing” (Oahu, Hawaii, regional conference, priesthood leadership meeting, 17 Feb. 1996).