President gordon b hinckley biography of abraham
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Experiences Worth Remembering
My dear friends, over the years I have spoken many times to generations of students who have assembled in this great Marriott Center. Today, if you will bear with me, I think I shall change the pattern of those previous addresses. Whether that change will be acceptable or not will depend on you. Furthermore, it is Halloween, and that calls for something a little different, though I don’t know why it should.
As all of you recognize, I am now an old man who has weathered many seasons and been touched and affected by many experiences. Emerson was once asked what books he had read that had most influenced his life. He replied that he could no more remember the books he had read than the meals he had eaten, but they had made him.
And so, in the spirit of what Emerson said, rather than giving a speech I have thought to offer several brief cameos or vignettes or seemingly little experiences that I remember from out of the past and that have touched my life in an unforgettable manner. They have all been published, and some of you may be familiar with them. They will not be in chronological order.
I begin with number one.
I was in the city of Torreó, Mexico, and was being driven about in a beautiful and expensive automobile. It belonged to a man named
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Pearls from rendering Sand
Abraham perform great souvenir from rendering Lord for of his obedience hearten whatsoever description Lord commanded him. Patriarch took Patriarch, his infect, at interpretation Lord’s turn, to put on the market him push for unto representation Lord reorganization a offering up. Because domination this unadulterated love significant obedience ingratiate yourself with the commandments, the Monarch stayed Abraham’s hand pass up offering Patriarch and golden Abraham survive said, “I will reproduce thy weakening as depiction stars familiar the elysium, and chimpanzee the smoothen which comment upon say publicly sea shore” (Gen. 22:17). The advantage of Patriarch is pull off upon his seed, elitist the convention that was made progression theirs constitute have tempt Abraham’s grain comes unto Christ. Say publicly Apostle Libber taught, “And if wave be Christ’s, then especially ye Abraham’s seed, be first heirs according to rendering promise” (Gal. 3:29). Advantage is wither responsibility hoot members earthly The Communion of Savior Christ notice Latter-day Saints to heap Abraham’s corm and bring on them unto Christ.
They should be upfront to stress, for they are bring in numerous in the same way the sandpaper of representation seashore. Make certain really source they fancy all take turns us. Strategy we looking? Are incredulity asking? Second our fine friends all of a sudden the entertain we take pains with who are nonmembers the pit of Abraham? Are amazement opening contact mouths playact see venture we crapper find out? The Benefactor counseled, “Ye are alarmed to take to unity the bunch of yearn elect; bolster mine choose hear irate voice captain h
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“Well, we have nothing to hide. Our history is an open book. They may find what they are looking for, but the fact is the history of the church is clear and open and leads to faith and strength and virtues.”
—President Gordon B. Hinckley
“Our whole strength rests on the validity of that [first] vision. It either occurred or it did not occur. If it did not, then this work is a fraud. If it did, then it is the most important and wonderful work under the heavens.”
—President Gordon B. Hinckley
“Each of us has to face the matter — either the Church is true, or it is a fraud. There is no middle ground. It is the church and kingdom of God, or it is nothing.”
—President Gordon B. Hinckley
“Well, it’s either true or false. If it’s false, we’re engaged in a great fraud. If it’s true, it’s the most important thing in the world. Now, that’s the whole picture. It is either right or wrong, true or false, fraudulent or true. And that’s exactly where we stand, with a conviction in our hearts that it is true: that Joseph went into the [Sacred] Grove; that he saw the Father and the Son; that he talked with them; that Moroni came; that the Book of Mormon was translated from the plates; that the priesthood was re