Brigham Young

“ This earth is the home he has prepared for us, and we are to prepare ourselves and our habitations for the celestial glory in store for the faithful. None will be destroyed except those who receive the oracles of truth and reject them. ”

“ I will here quote the words of the Saviour—"And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much; and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If, therefore, ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?" ”

“ You have rich land, good water, a pure atmosphere, and one of the pleasantest locations in the Territory. Adorn your houses and your city. I marvel to see you contented to live as you do. I have passed much of my life in a log-house, but do I like bed-bugs and darkness? ”

“ It is not the work of the Lord to organize an earth and destroy it. That is not the system he has devised. His plan is to organize an earth, people it with intelligent beings, present to them the principles of eternal life, and bestow upon them the keys thereof, that they may be able to prepare themselves to dwell to all eternity, and to bring forth their increase to dwell with them. ”

“ Without the Spirit of truth, without the Spirit of Christ, people will become hateful and disagreeable, or what the English term ugly, and the Yankees, homely; or, as others express it, ordinary-looking. The Spirit of truth beautifies and lights with intelligence an otherwise forbidding countenance. We need it to beautify both the body and mind. ”

“ If it is ability to dictate the making of a road, dictate it, or make it as others dictate. Where is the man that made a road in a kanyon as it should be made, until I dictated it? Men go into kanyons and drive up and down hills where it requires six horses to haul up or hold back an empty waggon, and break their animals' legs, and kill men and boys. Who has broken waggons on roads that I have dictated? No one. In such kanyons persons soon save more in cattle, waggons, time, and labour, than the roads cost. ”

“ We are for the kingdom of God, and are not going to the moon, nor to any other planet pertaining to this solar system; but are determined to have a heaven here, and are going to make it ourselves, by the help of God and his angels. ”

“ Parents should know how to teach their children, women should learn to make the most beautiful cloth, and men should become skilled in raising sheep, and in the improvement of all kinds of stock, and in making all kinds of useful machinery. ”

“ If you had the spirit of your calling, you would be anxious to build the best houses you could, and make the best gardens, fields, and vineyards, though you knew that you would not enjoy them one day after they were completed. ”

“ I know how to build a meeting-house—how to place the first and last stone and piece of board, and how to put on the first and last touch of paint. I know how to build a mill and put the machinery in it, and I intend to keep improving as long as I live. ”

“ I am extremely happy, and my joy increases according to my understanding and the sensibility God has given me, that this people, called Latter-day Saints, are improving,—that they improve every year, and increase in the knowledge and understanding of the dealings and providences of God, and understand themselves more and better. ”

“ I do not see much, if any, improvement in this settlement during the past three years. True, you lost time and labour in moving south; but if you labour all your lives, and God does not bless your labours, they are in vain. He can give you possessions and great wealth, as he gave Job. In a short time he added to Job much more than he had even previously possessed. If your hearts are pure and holy, the Lord can in a short time restore to your settlement fourfold. ”

“ Now, he that is unfaithful in building a house, or in making a garden, an orchard, a farm, or in beautifying what is in his possession, who will commit to that man or people the great things of the kingdom of God that are to be attained on this earth? ”

“ Are you in the stock-driving business? Do any of you belong to the class of marauders, pilferers, drunkards, or swearers? The very great majority of this people are striving to improve themselves before their God and their brethren. ”

“ We have travelled in the order in which persons joined us, and I do not think a rash word has been spoken by any man, woman, or child since we left Great Salt Lake City. What does this prove? That when the law of God is written on the hearts of a people, every person will know his place. It proves that we are improving. ”

“ You may say, "If you know all about it, there is no necessity for our learning anything concerning it." We cannot be in every place; and though we could, every man, woman, and child should improve as rapidly as possible. ”

“ It is said we are yet young. True; but we ought to, at least, make a beginning. Not one woman in ten, that I ever saw, thoroughly understands keeping a house.
Why do not women learn to be housekeepers? ”

“ Your husbands may furnish fine furniture and glass and china-ware, and some of you suffer your children to mar and break it. Give children such playthings as they cannot break, and with which they cannot hurt themselves. ”