Wilford Woodruff

“ We have received the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, and the vail of darkness, of doubt, and fear is taken from our minds, and we can see clearly where to go and what to do; and we feel that our spirit is right—that we are acceptable before the Lord our God, and are the subjects of his blessings. ”

“ It certainly must be a satisfaction to us to know that we are building up the kingdom of God—to know that we are seeking to overcome the powers of darkness, and all evil that prevails upon the face of the earth, in our day and generation. This Gospel has been offered to the present generation—it has been offered to the Christian world, and almost all the nations have heard it in some way or other, and they now have the privilege of receiving it or rejecting it. ”

“ When sitting here and listening to to the words of the servants of God, I reflect day by day on the things of God that are revealed to us, and I am inevitably led to the conclusion that there is no people upon the face of the earth enjoying such great blessings as the Almighty has bestowed upon us. ”

“ Brethren and sisters, we are blest above all other people upon the face of the earth, not only temporally, but spiritually. I consider any people blest of the Lord to whom he has revealed the Gospel of Jesus Christ—to whom he has given the holy Priesthood and authority to administer in the ordinances of his house. That people are greatly blest, far above their fellow-men, who do not enjoy this privilege. ”

“ I have long been satisfied that the Devil was making great exertions to drive a wedge in between parents and children—trying to inspire and instil into the minds of the sons and daughters of the Saints these corrupting notions that will prevent them from following the footsteps of their fathers and mothers ”

“ I can readily believe that the professors of religion are not fully satisfied in their minds and feelings, unless they have partaken of that life which is made manifest by the gift and influence of the Holy Ghost. And we have an abundance of evidence to prove that the world are not satisfied with their condition—not even those that are seeking the pleasures of life. We frequently hear them complaining of the state of affairs at the present time.
Man possesses a spirit that must endure for ever—a spirit that comes from God ”

“ Any man's mind that is open, and who looks forward to the work that lies before us, will see and feel that the responsibility that rests upon him concerning his own family, and especially in the rearing up of his children, is very great.
We want to save our children, and to have them partake of all the blessings that encircle the sanctified—to have them receive the blessings of their parents who have been faithful to the fulness of the Gospel. We do not want them to go through all the routine of false doctrines and erroneous systems that we have had to wade through in our generation. ”

“ The heavens are full of blessings, and the Lord is willing to bestow them upon us. The hearts of the servants of God are full of blessings, comfort, and edifying words for the Saints. Then it is certainly our duty to make a right use of the knowledge we have received, and to acknowledge the hand of the Lord in all things. We should try to gain wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, and from the experience we are having while in this great school. ”

“ I feel that the time has come when we shall prevail, and I rejoice in it. I feel that the Lord is going to bless this people abundantly. The minds of the Saints are expanding, and they are coming to understanding. ”

“ The Lord looks down upon our work and considers our ignorance, and so do those holy beings who surround his throne; but yet we know enough to do our duty, magnify our calling, and fulfil the object of our creation. ”

“ The righteousness and truth and the power of God are now prevailing over the wickedness of the profane and the iniquity of the depraved, and the power of the Devil is fast giving way and losing its hold on this people. ”

“ This is right, and just as it should be; for it is our duty in our secret places, in our family prayers, to remember the Lord's anointed and chosen servants and we should not only pray for them, but for each other, be full of faith, prayer, and confidence, and manifest our faith by carrying out the counsel that is given by the leaders of this people. Yes, brethren and sisters, it is a good day and generation in which we live. It is a good time to worship God and live faithful to our religion ”

“ Scores and hundreds of the Elders of Israel have been faithful and true to their integrity, and for this they will have their reward, while the wicked will perish. I do feel thank-ful that so many of us have cleared our garments of the blood of this generation ”

“ Let me advise you, brethren and sisters, to improve in everything that is good, perform every duty devolving upon us, and we shall have much joy and consolation at the close of this probation in knowing that we have done the best we could—that we have acted up to the best light we had. ”

“ In both our temporal and spiritual labour we should seek to know the mind and will of God concerning us. We should have the Spirit of the Lord with us continually, and our meditations should be righteous and holy before the Lord. ”

“ This is the way we feel in regard to our present position, and I feel that God will bless us, inasmuch as we strive to improve and listen to counsel. It is our duty, to pray before the Lord, and to teach those principles whenever we have an opportunity. ”

“ We who have gained experience see the darkness and abominations that are in the hearts of men; but our children, not being able to contrast the evil with the good, cannot see and realize the blessings they enjoy in being under the influence of teachers in Israel. ”

“ We are shut up in these chambers of the mountains in fulfilment of the words of the Lord, and he has led us all the time—he has marked out our course and directed our footsteps. Brother Joseph Smith, brother Brigham, and all our leaders have been inspired from the beginning to give counsel and to do those things that have been required of them ”

“ It is a great thing to know how to act so as to gain the feelings and affections of our families, that will lead them in the path wherein they may be saved. This is a study and a work that should not be laid aside by parents, nor by the Elders in Israel. ”

“ The Almighty has in this way warned this generation, and told them what the result of rejecting the Gospel of Christ would be. Still many in the world have sought to destroy this work from the earth, as well as those who have been its advocates. ”