Obedience

“I experienced the joy of coming closer to the Savior and of His coming closer to me most often through simple acts of obedience to the commandments.” President Henry B. Erying, “Come Unto Me”, April 2013 General Conference http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/come-unto-me?lang=eng

“Obedience to Christ’s teachings keeps us on high ground. As the Psalmist wrote:  Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? . . . He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart. [Psalm 24:3–4] We keep our hands clean and our hearts pure through obedience.” Elder Robert D. Hales, Seek and Attain the Spiritual High Ground in Life, 1 March 2009 BYU Speech http://speeches.byu.edu/index.php?act=viewitem&id=1825

 “Teach of faith to keep all the commandments of God, knowing that they are given to bless His children and bring them joy. Warn them that they will encounter people who pick which commandments they will keep and ignore others that they choose to break. I call this the cafeteria approach to obedience. This practice of picking and choosing will not work. It will lead to misery. To prepare to meet God, one keeps all of His commandments. It takes faith to obey them, and keeping His commandments will strengthen that faith. Obedience allows God’s blessings to flow without constraint. He will bless His obedient children with freedom from bondage and misery. And He will bless them with more light. For example, one keeps the Word of Wisdom knowing that obedience will not only bring freedom from addiction, but it will also add blessings of wisdom and treasures of knowledge.” Elder M. Russell Ballard, Face the Future with Faith, April 2011 General Conference http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/face-the-future-with-faith?lang=eng

““The great plan of happiness” (Alma 42:8) provides that an ordinary member can be extraordinary just “by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel” (Articles of Faith 1:3). We can find safety and security for ourselves and our children by honoring the covenants we have made and living up to the ordinary acts of obedience required of the followers of Christ.” Elder Boyd K. Packer, Fledgling Finches and Family Life, 18 August 2009 BYU Speech http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=1856

“Yours is a future without limit because you have decided to be unwavering in obedience to the Lord. You cannot today fully imagine what you will accomplish in life. Yet your quiet, uncompromising determination to live a righteous life will couple you with inspiration and power beyond your imagination.” Elder Richard G. Scott, The Fruits of Obedience, 3 June 1990 BYU Speech http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=472

“There are rules and laws to help ensure our physical safety. Likewise, the Lord has provided guidelines and commandments to help ensure our spiritual safety so that we might successfully navigate this often-treacherous mortal existence and return eventually to our Heavenly Father.” President Thomas S. Monson, Obedience Brings Blessings, April 2013 General Conference http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/obedience-brings-blessings?lang=eng

“The first principles and ordinances of the gospel are clear and simple to follow. Through our obedience and willingness to keep the commandments and to serve, love, and honor the Lord, we can purify our lives.” Elder M. Russell Ballard, Keep the Commandments--Beginning Right Now!, 6 September 1987 BYU Speech http://speeches.byu.edu/index.php?act=viewitem&id=43

“Surely there could not be any doctrine more strongly expressed in the scriptures than the Lord’s unchanging commandments and their connection to our happiness and well-being as individuals, as families, and as a society. There are moral absolutes. Disobedience to the Lord’s commandments will always deprive us of His blessings. These things do not change.” Elder L. Tom Perry, Obedience to Law Is Liberty, April 2013 General Conference http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/obedience-to-law-is-liberty?lang=eng

“God lives. Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of the world. His kingdom will prevail. The greatest joy we can find on this earth is conforming our lives to His law.” Elder L. Tom Perry, The Kingdom of God, April 1979 General Conference https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1979/04/the-kingdom-of-god?lang=eng

“The process of identifying truth sometimes necessitates enormous effort coupled with profound faith in our Father and His glorified Son. God intended that it be so to forge your character. Worthy character will strengthen your capacity to respond obediently to the direction of the Spirit as you make vital decisions. Righteous character is what you are becoming. It is more important than what you own, what you have learned, or what goals you have accomplished. It allows you to be trusted. Righteous character provides the foundation of spiritual strength. It enables you in times of trial and testing to make difficult, extremely important decisions correctly even when they seem overpowering. I testify that neither Satan nor any other power can weaken or destroy your growing character. Only you can do that through disobedience.” Elder Richard G. Scott, Truth: The Foundation of Correct Decisions, October 2007 General Conference http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2007/10/truth-the-foundation-of-correct-decisions?lang=eng

"To open the windows of heaven, we must conform our will to God’s will. Diligent, enduring obedience to God’s laws is the key that opens the windows of heaven. Obedience enables us to be receptive to the mind and will of the Lord. “The Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind; and the willing and obedient”are those who receive the blessings of revelation through the open windows of heaven." Elder Joseph B.Wirthlin, Windows of Light and Truth, October 1995 General Conference http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1995/10/windows-of-light-and-truth?lang=eng