Favorites from President Lorenzo Snow

 

Since I finally finished up the President Lorenzo Snow manual (the fifth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) we were studying in 2013 for the third hour of church, I thought I'd compile a list of my favorite thoughts from him for my own records (emphases added).

"A man's mind should be single to the glory of God in everything that he starts to accomplish. . . . It is a glorious work that we are engaged in. It is the work of the Almighty; and He has selected the men and the women whom he knows from past experience will carry out His purposes."

"Cultivate a spirit of charity; be ready to do for others more than you would expect from them if circumstances were reversed."

"He [Jesus Christ] came not to seek the glory and honor of men, but to seek the honor and glory of His Father, and to accomplish the work of His Father who sent Him. Herein lay the secret of his prosperity; and herein lies the secret of the prosperity of every individual who works upon the same principle."

"The best way to improve ourselves is to exercise ourselves in doing good to others. Keep this in mind constantly."

"Our children, if we are diligent in cultivating in ourselves the pure principles of life and salvation, will grow up in the knowledge of these things and be able with greater facility than ourselves, to promote the order of heaven and establish happiness and peace around them."

"We should have before us a strong desire to do good to others. Never mind so much about ourselves. Good will come to us all right if we keep our minds outside of ourselves to a certain extent and try to make others happier and draw them a little nearer to the Lord."

"If he wants to build himself up, the best principle he can do it upon is to build up his friends."

"Let your minds be expanded to comprehend and look after the interest of your friends that are around you, and where it is in your power to secure benefits to your friends do so, and in so doing you will find that those things which you need will come into your hands quicker than if you labor entirely to secure them to yourselves independent of regarding the interests of your friends. I know this is a good and important principle."

"Just in proportion as they are willing to sacrifice for others, so they get God in them."

"I say, let men serve God faithfully and energetically, and be CHEERFUL. . . . There are times when persons are brought into conditions where it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to assume a cheerful aspect. But such times are very few."