Visiting Teaching

"As the Lord began restoring His Church through the Prophet Joseph Smith, He again included women in a pattern of discipleship. A few months after the Church was formally organized, the Lord revealed that Emma Smith was to be set apart as a leader and teacher in the Church and as an official helper to her husband, the Prophet. In her calling to help the Lord build His kingdom, she was given instructions about how to increase her faith and personal righteousness, how to strengthen herfamily and her home, and how to serve others.

I hope my granddaughters will understand that from the day the gospel began to be restored in this dispensation, the Lord has needed faithful women to participate as His disciples."

Sister Julie B. Beck  - October 2011 Relief Society Broadcast

http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/general-relief-society-meeting/2011/09/what-i-hope-my-granddaughters-and-grandsons-will-understand-about-relief-society?lang=eng

Visiting Teaching

"The Lord has blessed women with divine attributes of love, compassion, kindness, and charity. Through our monthly visits as visiting teachers, we have the power to bless each sister as we extend our arms of love and kindness and give the gifts of compassion and charity. No matter what our individual circumstances are, we all have the opportunity to edify and nurture others."

-Sister Silvia Allred 

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2007/10/feed-my-sheep?lang=eng

Visiting Teaching

"The beauty of visiting teaching is not to see 100 percent on the monthly report; the beauty of visiting teaching is seeing lives changed, tears wiped away, testimonies growing, people loved, families strengthened, people cheered, the hungry fed, the sick visited, and those who are mourning comforted. Actually, visiting teaching is never done because we watch over and strengthen always.

Another blessing of visiting teaching is to increase in unity and love. The scriptures counsel us on how to achieve this: “And he commanded them that … they should look forward with one eye, having one faith and onebaptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another.”"

-Sister Barbara Thompson 

http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/general-relief-society-meeting/2010/09/and-of-some-have-compassion-making-a-difference?lang=eng

Pride

"God is forgotten out of vanity. A little prosperity and peace, or even a turn slightly for the better, can bring us feelings of self-sufficiency. We can feel quickly that we are in control of our lives, that the change for the better is our own doing, not that of a God who communicates to us through the still, small voice of the Spirit. Pride creates a noise within us which makes the quiet voice of the Spirit hard to hear. And soon, in our vanity, we no longer even listen for it. We can come quickly to think we don’t need it."

-President Henry B. Erying - October 2001 General Conference

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2001/10/prayer?lang=eng

Pride

A second principle to guide our progress to become one is to be humble. Pride is the great enemy of unity. You have seen and felt its terrible effects. Just days ago I watched as two people—good people—began with a mild disagreement. It started as a discussion of what was true but became a contest about who was right. Voices became gradually louder. Faces became a little more flushed. Instead of talking about the issue, people began talking about themselves, giving evidence why their view, given their great ability and background, was more likely to be right.

You would have felt alarm as I did. We have seen the life-destroying effects of such tragic conflict. You and I know people who left the fellowship of the Saints over injured pride.

Happily I am seeing more and more skillful peacemakers who calm troubled waters before harm is done. You could be one of those peacemakers, whether you are in the conflict or an observer.

-President Henry B. Eyring - October 2008 General Conference

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/10/our-hearts-knit-as-one?lang=eng

Pride

With pride, there are many curses. With humility, there come many blessings. For example, “Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers.” (D&C 112:10.) The humble will “be made strong, and blessed from on high, and receive knowledge.” (D&C 1:28.) The Lord is “merciful unto those who confess their sins with humble hearts.” (D&C 61:2.) Humility can turn away God’s anger. (See Hel. 11:11.)

-Ezra Taft Benson April 1986 General Conference

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1986/04/cleansing-the-inner-vessel?lang=eng

Pride

How I wish I could feel comfortable with all this special attention we are receiving. In the midst of this favorable publicity, we see so many members seeking worldly pursuits contrary to the words of the Lord’s prophets through the ages.

Many of us are more concerned about our fine apparel, the size of our homes, and our cars and their gadgets than we are about the needs of the poor and the needy. We also have seen the threat of legalized abortion, gambling, pornography, and challenges to public prayer undermining the values that bind us together as a community of Saints.

-Elder L. Tom Perry October 1992 General Conference

(http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1992/10/behold-the-lord-hath-shown-unto-me-great-and-marvelous-things?lang=eng)