TrendZion

Passages drawn from the sermons and published works that carry this theme forward.

1. 1838·Joseph Smith·Prophet
   22 I soon found, however, that my telling the story had excited a great deal of prejudice against me among professors of religion, and was the cause of great persecution , which continued to increase; and though I was an obscure boy, only between fourteen and fifteen years of age, and my circumstances in life such as to make a boy of no consequence in the world, yet men of high standing would take notice sufficient to excite the public mind against me, and create a bitter persecution; and this was common among all the sects—all united to persecute me.
   Joseph Smith—History — scripturecopy citation
2. 1857·John Taylor·Apostle
   He tried to take another tack, which is this: He pointed out in the Constitution where the Supreme Court of the United States was made one of the branches of the Government, and the President has the appointment of its Judges. That is true—he possesses the power to appoint the greater, but not the less. How do you make that appear? Simply because one is mentioned in the Constitution, and the other is not. The United States' Supreme Court is a co-ordinate branch of the Government, and there is provision made by the Constitution for the election and appointment of its officers.
   Ignorance and Low Condition of the World—Past Experience, Present Position, and Future Prospects of the Saints — jodcopy citation
3. 1860·Orson Hyde·Apostle
   Here is a glass that reflects the position and fate of the United States, if they persist in following the Saints with their forces. If the serpent will cast out a flood of waters after the woman who has fled into the wilderness from before his face, the earth may kindly open her mouth in the form of an earthquake, and drink up the flood or army. "This would be a mode of warfare upon which their tactics furnish them no information."
   Divine Government—Hostility of the United States Government Towards the Saints — jodcopy citation
4. 1973·Ezra Taft Benson·Apostle
   Let us strive for progress down the road of goodness and freedom. With the help and blessings of the Lord, the free people of the United States and the free world can and will face tomorrow without fear, without doubt, and with full confidence. We do not fear the phony population explosion, nor do we fear a shortage of food, if we can be free and good. The Lord has declared, “… the earth is full, and there is enough and to spare. …” ( D&C 104:17 .) We can accept this promise with confidence.
   “Watchman, Warn the Wicked” — cojccopy citation
5. 1977·LeGrand Richards·Apostle
   Then the apostle Paul told us that the Lord had placed in His church apostles and prophets, pastors and teachers, and evangelists for the work of the ministry (that is the great missionary program), for the edifying of the body of Christ (that’s the teaching in our auxiliaries and home teaching and priesthood teaching and so forth), for the perfecting of the saints (that comes through the service that they render), “till we all come in the unity of the faith.” (See Eph. 4:11–13 .)
   The Things of God and Man — cojccopy citation
6. 1987·L. Tom Perry·Apostle
   We have just completed a summer in which we have commemorated several events of great historical significance. On the twenty-fourth of July, we celebrated the 140th anniversary of the arrival of the Mormon pioneers in the Salt Lake Valley. At the same time, we were commemorating the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the first LDS missionaries in Great Britain. Finally, citizens of these great United States, members of the Church and nonmembers alike, recently celebrated the 200th birthday of their Constitution.
   “A Meaningful Celebration” — cojccopy citation