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Be Thou an Example
In the days of the early Christian church, the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, "my own son in the faith," and exhorted "Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." (1 Timothy 4:12.) Today, leaders of Christ's church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, give similar counsel to those who take upon themselves the name of the Savior. In Be Thou an Example, Gordon B. Hinckley, a counselor in the First Presidency of the Church, tells how one can be an example of the believer and outlines some of the basic beliefs of the Latter-day Saints. "Paul never hedged nor quibbled when setting forth the requirements of the gospel of Jesus Christ," he writes. "It is so today. The Lord himself declared that 'strait is the gate and narrow is the way.' Any system dealing with the eternal consequences of human behavior must set guidelines and adhere to them, and no system can long command the loyalties of men that does not expect of them certain measures of discipline, and particularly of self-discipline. The cost in comfort may be great. The sacrifice may be real. But this very demanding reality is the substance of which come character and strength and nobility." Chapters for the book have been adapted from addresses delivered by President Hinckley in general conferences of the Church, and deal with such basic subjects as honesty, forgiveness, self-discipline, avoiding contention, and opposing evil. He writes, as he speaks, with forthrightness and with conviction. Be Thou an Example is a book for every believer!
144 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1981
12 people are currently reading
348 people want to read
About the author
Gordon B. Hinckley
100 books357 followersPresident Hinckley was known, even at the age of 95, as a tireless leader who always put in a full day at the office and traveled extensively around the world to mix with Church members, now numbering nearly 13 million in 171 nations.
His quick wit and humor, combined with an eloquent style at the pulpit, made him one of the most loved of modern Church leaders. A profoundly spiritual man, he had a great fondness for history and often peppered his sermons with stories from the Church’s pioneer past.
He was a popular interview subject with journalists, appearing on 60 Minutes with Mike Wallace and on CNN’s Larry King Live, as well as being quoted and featured in hundreds of newspapers and magazines over the years. During the Salt Lake Olympics of 2002, his request that the Church refrain from proselytizing visitors was credited by media with generating much of the goodwill that flowed to the Church from the international event.
In recent years, a number of major developments in the Church reflected President Hinckley’s personal drive and direction. In calling for 100 temples to be in operation before the end of the year 2000, the Church president committed the Church to a massive temple-building program.
In 1999 — 169 years after the Church was organized by its founder, Joseph Smith — the Church had 56 operating temples. Three years later that number had doubled, largely because of a smaller, highly practical temple architectural plan that delivered these sacred buildings to Church members in far-flung parts of the world. Many more Church members can now experience the sacred ceremonies that occur only in temples, including marriages for eternity and the sealing of families in eternal units.
President Hinckley was the most traveled president in the Church’s history. His duties took him around the world many times to meet with Latter-day Saints in more than 60 countries. He was the first Church president to travel to Spain, where in 1996 he broke ground for a temple in Madrid; and to the African nations of Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Cape Verde, where he met with thousands of Latter-day Saints in 1998. In 2005, he traveled nearly 25,000 miles on a seven-nation, nine-day tour to Russia, South Korea, China, Taiwan, India, Kenya, and Nigeria.
At a general conference of Church members in April 2001, President Hinckley initiated the Perpetual Education Fund — an ambitious program to help young members of the Church (mainly returning missionaries from developing countries) receive higher education and work-related training that they would otherwise likely never receive.
Closer to his Salt Lake City home, President Hinckley announced the construction of a new Conference Center in 1996 and dedicated it four years later. Seating 21,000 people, it is believed to be the largest religious and theater auditorium in the world and has become the hub for the Church’s general conference messages to the world, broadcast in 54 languages.
Even before his term as president, President Hinckley’s extensive Church service included 14 years as a counselor in the First Presidency, the highest presiding body in the government of the Church, and 20 years before that as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
President Hinckley was born 23 June 1910 in Salt Lake City, a son of Bryant Stringham and Ada Bitner Hinckley. One of his forebears, Stephen Hopkins, came to America on the Mayflower. Another, Thomas Hinckley, served as governor of the Plymouth Colony from 1680 to 1692.
President Hinckley’s first job was as a newspaper carrier for the Deseret News, a Salt Lake City daily. After attending public schools in Salt Lake City, he earned a bachelor of arts degree at the University of Utah and then served two years as a full-time missionary for the Church in Great Britain. He served with distinction and ultimately was appointed as an assistant to the Church apostle who presided over all the Europe
His quick wit and humor, combined with an eloquent style at the pulpit, made him one of the most loved of modern Church leaders. A profoundly spiritual man, he had a great fondness for history and often peppered his sermons with stories from the Church’s pioneer past.
He was a popular interview subject with journalists, appearing on 60 Minutes with Mike Wallace and on CNN’s Larry King Live, as well as being quoted and featured in hundreds of newspapers and magazines over the years. During the Salt Lake Olympics of 2002, his request that the Church refrain from proselytizing visitors was credited by media with generating much of the goodwill that flowed to the Church from the international event.
In recent years, a number of major developments in the Church reflected President Hinckley’s personal drive and direction. In calling for 100 temples to be in operation before the end of the year 2000, the Church president committed the Church to a massive temple-building program.
In 1999 — 169 years after the Church was organized by its founder, Joseph Smith — the Church had 56 operating temples. Three years later that number had doubled, largely because of a smaller, highly practical temple architectural plan that delivered these sacred buildings to Church members in far-flung parts of the world. Many more Church members can now experience the sacred ceremonies that occur only in temples, including marriages for eternity and the sealing of families in eternal units.
President Hinckley was the most traveled president in the Church’s history. His duties took him around the world many times to meet with Latter-day Saints in more than 60 countries. He was the first Church president to travel to Spain, where in 1996 he broke ground for a temple in Madrid; and to the African nations of Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Cape Verde, where he met with thousands of Latter-day Saints in 1998. In 2005, he traveled nearly 25,000 miles on a seven-nation, nine-day tour to Russia, South Korea, China, Taiwan, India, Kenya, and Nigeria.
At a general conference of Church members in April 2001, President Hinckley initiated the Perpetual Education Fund — an ambitious program to help young members of the Church (mainly returning missionaries from developing countries) receive higher education and work-related training that they would otherwise likely never receive.
Closer to his Salt Lake City home, President Hinckley announced the construction of a new Conference Center in 1996 and dedicated it four years later. Seating 21,000 people, it is believed to be the largest religious and theater auditorium in the world and has become the hub for the Church’s general conference messages to the world, broadcast in 54 languages.
Even before his term as president, President Hinckley’s extensive Church service included 14 years as a counselor in the First Presidency, the highest presiding body in the government of the Church, and 20 years before that as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
President Hinckley was born 23 June 1910 in Salt Lake City, a son of Bryant Stringham and Ada Bitner Hinckley. One of his forebears, Stephen Hopkins, came to America on the Mayflower. Another, Thomas Hinckley, served as governor of the Plymouth Colony from 1680 to 1692.
President Hinckley’s first job was as a newspaper carrier for the Deseret News, a Salt Lake City daily. After attending public schools in Salt Lake City, he earned a bachelor of arts degree at the University of Utah and then served two years as a full-time missionary for the Church in Great Britain. He served with distinction and ultimately was appointed as an assistant to the Church apostle who presided over all the Europe
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
February 3, 2017
This is an uplifting book. President Hinckley's direct and powerful testimony is such a contrast and blessing in the world we live in today. The gospel is true and simple and changes our lives for the better now and eternally. We can be an example of the believers by strengthening our faith in the Lord and His gospel and sharing it. There really is nothing more important.
Here are a few of the quotes I liked:
"'Are you willing to pay so great a price for the gospel?' His dark eyes, moistened by tears, shone from his handsome brown face as he answered, 'It's true, isn't it?' Ashamed at having asked the question, I responded, 'Yes, it's true.' To this he replied, 'Then what else matters (p. 3)?'"
"The strength of this church lies in the hearts of its people, in the individual testimony and conviction of the truth of this work. When an individual has that witness and testimony, the requirements of the Church become challenges rather than burdens (p. 5)."
"'This is what I believe. This I will do and that I will not do. This is my code of behavior and that is outside it. This is excellent and this is trash.' There is an absence of moral leadership in the sense of a general unwillingness to state standards (p. 12)."
"'God is not a celestial politician seeking our vote. Rather, God is to be found, and God is to be obeyed.' The satisfying thing is that obedience brings happiness; it brings peace; it brings growth (p. 12)."
"Without contention, without argument, without offense, let us pursue a steady course, moving forward to build the kingdom of God. If there is trouble, let us face it calmly. Let us overcome evil with good. This is God's work. It will continue to strengthen over the earth, touching for good the lives of countless thousands whose hearts will respond to the message of truth. No power under heaven can stop it. This is my faith and this is my testimony. God help us to be worthy of this great and sacred commission that is ours, thus to build the kingdom (p. 15)."
"The place to reform the world is not Washington or Paris or Tokyo or London. The place to begin is with oneself. A wise man once declared: 'Make of yourself an honest man and there will be one fewer rascals in the world (p. 18).'"
"One day while I was riding along the beltway in traffic, I looked with wonder, as must all who travel that highway, at the gleaming spires of the Lord's house rising heavenward from a hill in the woods. Words of scripture came into my mind, words spoken by the Lord as he stood upon the mount and taught the people. Said he: 'A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.' (Matthew 5:14-16.) Not alone the Washington Temple, but this entire people have become as as city upon a hill that cannot be hid (p. 25)."
"I do not advocate a retreat from society. On the contrary, we have a responsibility and a challenge to take our places in the world of business, science, government, medicine, education, and every other worthwhile and constructive vocation. We have an obligation to train our hands and our minds to excel in the work of the world for the blessing of all mankind. In so doing we must work with others. But this does not require a surrender of standards. We can maintain the integrity of our families if we will follow the counsel of our leaders. As we do so, those about us will observe with respect and be led to inquire how it is done (p. 27)."
"'This beautiful structure is a symbol of those virtues which have made us a great nation and a great people. We need such symbols (p. 28).'"
"Honesty, character, and integrity do not come of legislation or police action. Only as we build back into the fiber of our lives the virtues that are the essence of true civilization will the patter of our times change. That building process must begin in the homes of the people. It must begin with recognition of God as our Eternal Father and of our relationship to him as his children, with communication with him in recognition of his sovereign position, and in supplication for his guidance in our affairs (p. 30)."
"I feel satisfied that there is no adequate substitute for the morning and evening practice of kneeling together--father, mother, and children. This, more than heavy carpets, more than lovely draperies, more than cleverly balanced color schemes, is the thing that will make for better and more beautiful homes (p. 31)."
"How much more beautiful would be the world and the society in which we live if every father looked upon his children as the most precious of his assets, if he led them by the power of his example in kindness and love, and if in times of stress he blessed them by the authority of the holy priesthood. And how much more beautiful would be our world and our society if every mother regarded her children as the jewels of her life, as gifts from the God of heaven who is their Eternal Father, and brought them up with true affection in the wisdom and admonition of the Lord (p. 40)."
"While they are very young, read to them the great stories which have become immortal because of the virtues they teach. Expose them to good books Let there be a corner somewhere in your house, be it ever so small, where they will see at least a few books of the kind upon which great minds have been nourished (p. 56)."
"My heart goes out to Peter. So many of us are so much like him. We pledge our loyalty; we affirm our determination to be of good courage; we declare, sometimes even publicly, that come what may we will do the right thing, we will stand for the right cause, we will be true to ourselves and to others. Then the pressures begin to build.... One of the great tragedies we witness almost daily is the tragedy of men of high aim and low achievement (p. 60)."
"May the Lord touch you by the power of his Spirit to increase your desire. May he strengthen your resolution. May your joy be full and your peace sweet and satisfying as you return to that which you know in your heart is true (p. 64)."
"This is what the gospel is about--to make bad men good and good men better (p. 67)."
"Do not let pride stand in your way. The way of the gospel is a simple way. Some of the requirements may appear to you as elementary and unnecessary. Do not spurn them. Humble yourself and walk in obedience. I promise that the results that follow will be marvelous to behold and satisfying to experience (p. 68)."
"The acquisition of understanding and enthusiasm for the Lord comes from following simple rules..... read the word of the Lord.... serve in the work of the Lord.... pray (p. 83)."
"The lives of our people must become the only meaningful expression of our faith and in fact, therefore, the symbol of our worship (p. 86)."
"To those who came to the tomb, heavy with sorrow, an attending angel declared, 'Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here....he is risen, as he said.' (Matthew 28:6.) (p. 88)."
"And so our lives must become a meaningful expression, the symbol of our declaration of our testimony of the living Christ, the Eternal Son of the living God (p. 90)."
"Religion, to be effective, must be a vital and timely force in the lives of men. The people today need a prophet as surely as Israel needed a prophet when it groaned in the toils of Egypt, and Moses was called to lead it from bondage. Israel today has a prophet, and we give our witness to the world that the channel of communication is open between God and his appointed servant (p. 93)."
"'For the first time, my eyes beheld the 'Book of Mormon'--that book of books...which was the principal means, in the hands of God, of directing the entire course of my future life (Parley P. Pratt, p. 98).'"
"Without reservation I promise you that if you will read the Book of Mormon, there will come into your life and into your home an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord, a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to his commandments, and a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God (p. 102)."
"Critics may scorn every divine manifestation incident to the coming forth of this work as being of such an intangible nature as to be unprovable to the pragmatic mind, as if the things of God could be understood other than by the Spirit of God. They may discount our theology. But they cannot in honesty dismiss the Book of Mormon. It is here. They can feel it. They can read it. They can weigh its substance and its content. They can witness its influence (p. 103)."
"Standing on the summit of a century and a half, we view with gratitude and humility what has been wrought.... The Church today flourishes in a world of secularism. It is a refuge of spirituality to ever-increasing numbers (p. 115)."
"The story of Joseph Smith's life is the story of a miracle (p. 119)."
"Within the space of that twenty years preceding his death, Joseph Smith set in motion a program for carrying the gospel to the nations of the earth. I marvel at the boldness with which he moved. Even in the infant days of the Church, in times of dark adversity, men were called to leave homes and families, to cross the sea, to proclaim the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. His mind, his vision encompassed the entire earth.... To a world plagued with doubt, Joseph Smith testified unequivocally of the risen, living Christ. That testimony was spoken in many ways and under many circumstances (p. 121)."
"'This will become a great highway of nations. Kings and emperors and the noble and the wise of the earth will visit us here... (Brigham Young, p. 125).'"
"'Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going? What is my relationship to my Maker? Will death rob me of the treasure associations of life? What of my wife and children? Will there be another existence after this, and if so, will we know one another there?' The answers to these questions are not found in the wisdom of men. They are found only in the revealed word of God. Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are sacred structures in which these and other eternal questions are answered. Each is dedicated as a house of the Lord, a place of holiness and peace, shut apart from the world, where truths are taught and ordinances are performed that bring knowledge of things eternal and motivate the participant to live with understanding of his divine inheritance as a child of God and an awareness of his potential as an eternal being (p. 128)."
"'Can you conceive of eternal life without eternal love? Can either of you envision eternal happiness without the companionship of one another (p. 135)?'"
"How comforting is the peace that come from the knowledge that if we marry right and live right, our relationship will continue, notwithstanding the certainty of death and the passage of time. Men may write love songs and sing them. They may yearn and hope and dream. But all of this will be only a romantic longing unless there is an exercise of authority that transcends the powers of time and death (p. 138)."
"Life is eternal. The God of heaven has also made possible eternal love and eternal family relationships (p. 139)."
Here are a few of the quotes I liked:
"'Are you willing to pay so great a price for the gospel?' His dark eyes, moistened by tears, shone from his handsome brown face as he answered, 'It's true, isn't it?' Ashamed at having asked the question, I responded, 'Yes, it's true.' To this he replied, 'Then what else matters (p. 3)?'"
"The strength of this church lies in the hearts of its people, in the individual testimony and conviction of the truth of this work. When an individual has that witness and testimony, the requirements of the Church become challenges rather than burdens (p. 5)."
"'This is what I believe. This I will do and that I will not do. This is my code of behavior and that is outside it. This is excellent and this is trash.' There is an absence of moral leadership in the sense of a general unwillingness to state standards (p. 12)."
"'God is not a celestial politician seeking our vote. Rather, God is to be found, and God is to be obeyed.' The satisfying thing is that obedience brings happiness; it brings peace; it brings growth (p. 12)."
"Without contention, without argument, without offense, let us pursue a steady course, moving forward to build the kingdom of God. If there is trouble, let us face it calmly. Let us overcome evil with good. This is God's work. It will continue to strengthen over the earth, touching for good the lives of countless thousands whose hearts will respond to the message of truth. No power under heaven can stop it. This is my faith and this is my testimony. God help us to be worthy of this great and sacred commission that is ours, thus to build the kingdom (p. 15)."
"The place to reform the world is not Washington or Paris or Tokyo or London. The place to begin is with oneself. A wise man once declared: 'Make of yourself an honest man and there will be one fewer rascals in the world (p. 18).'"
"One day while I was riding along the beltway in traffic, I looked with wonder, as must all who travel that highway, at the gleaming spires of the Lord's house rising heavenward from a hill in the woods. Words of scripture came into my mind, words spoken by the Lord as he stood upon the mount and taught the people. Said he: 'A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.' (Matthew 5:14-16.) Not alone the Washington Temple, but this entire people have become as as city upon a hill that cannot be hid (p. 25)."
"I do not advocate a retreat from society. On the contrary, we have a responsibility and a challenge to take our places in the world of business, science, government, medicine, education, and every other worthwhile and constructive vocation. We have an obligation to train our hands and our minds to excel in the work of the world for the blessing of all mankind. In so doing we must work with others. But this does not require a surrender of standards. We can maintain the integrity of our families if we will follow the counsel of our leaders. As we do so, those about us will observe with respect and be led to inquire how it is done (p. 27)."
"'This beautiful structure is a symbol of those virtues which have made us a great nation and a great people. We need such symbols (p. 28).'"
"Honesty, character, and integrity do not come of legislation or police action. Only as we build back into the fiber of our lives the virtues that are the essence of true civilization will the patter of our times change. That building process must begin in the homes of the people. It must begin with recognition of God as our Eternal Father and of our relationship to him as his children, with communication with him in recognition of his sovereign position, and in supplication for his guidance in our affairs (p. 30)."
"I feel satisfied that there is no adequate substitute for the morning and evening practice of kneeling together--father, mother, and children. This, more than heavy carpets, more than lovely draperies, more than cleverly balanced color schemes, is the thing that will make for better and more beautiful homes (p. 31)."
"How much more beautiful would be the world and the society in which we live if every father looked upon his children as the most precious of his assets, if he led them by the power of his example in kindness and love, and if in times of stress he blessed them by the authority of the holy priesthood. And how much more beautiful would be our world and our society if every mother regarded her children as the jewels of her life, as gifts from the God of heaven who is their Eternal Father, and brought them up with true affection in the wisdom and admonition of the Lord (p. 40)."
"While they are very young, read to them the great stories which have become immortal because of the virtues they teach. Expose them to good books Let there be a corner somewhere in your house, be it ever so small, where they will see at least a few books of the kind upon which great minds have been nourished (p. 56)."
"My heart goes out to Peter. So many of us are so much like him. We pledge our loyalty; we affirm our determination to be of good courage; we declare, sometimes even publicly, that come what may we will do the right thing, we will stand for the right cause, we will be true to ourselves and to others. Then the pressures begin to build.... One of the great tragedies we witness almost daily is the tragedy of men of high aim and low achievement (p. 60)."
"May the Lord touch you by the power of his Spirit to increase your desire. May he strengthen your resolution. May your joy be full and your peace sweet and satisfying as you return to that which you know in your heart is true (p. 64)."
"This is what the gospel is about--to make bad men good and good men better (p. 67)."
"Do not let pride stand in your way. The way of the gospel is a simple way. Some of the requirements may appear to you as elementary and unnecessary. Do not spurn them. Humble yourself and walk in obedience. I promise that the results that follow will be marvelous to behold and satisfying to experience (p. 68)."
"The acquisition of understanding and enthusiasm for the Lord comes from following simple rules..... read the word of the Lord.... serve in the work of the Lord.... pray (p. 83)."
"The lives of our people must become the only meaningful expression of our faith and in fact, therefore, the symbol of our worship (p. 86)."
"To those who came to the tomb, heavy with sorrow, an attending angel declared, 'Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here....he is risen, as he said.' (Matthew 28:6.) (p. 88)."
"And so our lives must become a meaningful expression, the symbol of our declaration of our testimony of the living Christ, the Eternal Son of the living God (p. 90)."
"Religion, to be effective, must be a vital and timely force in the lives of men. The people today need a prophet as surely as Israel needed a prophet when it groaned in the toils of Egypt, and Moses was called to lead it from bondage. Israel today has a prophet, and we give our witness to the world that the channel of communication is open between God and his appointed servant (p. 93)."
"'For the first time, my eyes beheld the 'Book of Mormon'--that book of books...which was the principal means, in the hands of God, of directing the entire course of my future life (Parley P. Pratt, p. 98).'"
"Without reservation I promise you that if you will read the Book of Mormon, there will come into your life and into your home an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord, a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to his commandments, and a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God (p. 102)."
"Critics may scorn every divine manifestation incident to the coming forth of this work as being of such an intangible nature as to be unprovable to the pragmatic mind, as if the things of God could be understood other than by the Spirit of God. They may discount our theology. But they cannot in honesty dismiss the Book of Mormon. It is here. They can feel it. They can read it. They can weigh its substance and its content. They can witness its influence (p. 103)."
"Standing on the summit of a century and a half, we view with gratitude and humility what has been wrought.... The Church today flourishes in a world of secularism. It is a refuge of spirituality to ever-increasing numbers (p. 115)."
"The story of Joseph Smith's life is the story of a miracle (p. 119)."
"Within the space of that twenty years preceding his death, Joseph Smith set in motion a program for carrying the gospel to the nations of the earth. I marvel at the boldness with which he moved. Even in the infant days of the Church, in times of dark adversity, men were called to leave homes and families, to cross the sea, to proclaim the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. His mind, his vision encompassed the entire earth.... To a world plagued with doubt, Joseph Smith testified unequivocally of the risen, living Christ. That testimony was spoken in many ways and under many circumstances (p. 121)."
"'This will become a great highway of nations. Kings and emperors and the noble and the wise of the earth will visit us here... (Brigham Young, p. 125).'"
"'Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going? What is my relationship to my Maker? Will death rob me of the treasure associations of life? What of my wife and children? Will there be another existence after this, and if so, will we know one another there?' The answers to these questions are not found in the wisdom of men. They are found only in the revealed word of God. Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are sacred structures in which these and other eternal questions are answered. Each is dedicated as a house of the Lord, a place of holiness and peace, shut apart from the world, where truths are taught and ordinances are performed that bring knowledge of things eternal and motivate the participant to live with understanding of his divine inheritance as a child of God and an awareness of his potential as an eternal being (p. 128)."
"'Can you conceive of eternal life without eternal love? Can either of you envision eternal happiness without the companionship of one another (p. 135)?'"
"How comforting is the peace that come from the knowledge that if we marry right and live right, our relationship will continue, notwithstanding the certainty of death and the passage of time. Men may write love songs and sing them. They may yearn and hope and dream. But all of this will be only a romantic longing unless there is an exercise of authority that transcends the powers of time and death (p. 138)."
"Life is eternal. The God of heaven has also made possible eternal love and eternal family relationships (p. 139)."
April 16, 2008
How can you not love this man? He is straight-forward, yet still very loving and honest. This book really helped me to look for the good in all things and to realize that life really isn't "all about me." Good book!
April 13, 2009
This was an amazing book. It was much better than Standing for Something and made me really excited about our new YM/YW theme for this year.
December 4, 2009
This book is divided into two sections. The first, about personal character, I found absolutely inspiring. I found myself recommitting to stand strong, develop deep character and hold fast to timeless values.
The second half is entitled "What We Believe" and is dedicated to exploring the very basic principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I thought it was a good refresher, and would help me better explain to others, in a simple, direct manner, concepts that I have internalized, but perhaps not verbalized effectively.
The second half is entitled "What We Believe" and is dedicated to exploring the very basic principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I thought it was a good refresher, and would help me better explain to others, in a simple, direct manner, concepts that I have internalized, but perhaps not verbalized effectively.
August 28, 2017
Not an original work, but a selection of talks President Hinckley had given. I could discern no rhyme or reason to why these talks were selected and arranged the way they were. It was also interesting to see how dated some of these talks seemed both in the anecdotes used and to a lesser extent the manner of discussing some of the principles. That being said the principles were still true, these were the words of a Prophet and Apostle, and President Hinckley talked a lot about the pioneers.
March 10, 2008
This book, written by our late and very much beloved prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley, and world leader, communicates wonderful insights of what we need to be to follow Jesus Christ. It makes you feel wonderful when you read it becuase of the truths that he speaks of in what our nation needs to renew good character and moral standards. I love it.
October 11, 2008
I love President Hinckley as much as any member of the church, but I think he gave his best talks later in life. While he was president of the church, it seemed like every talk he gave was an instant classic. While the talks in this book are good, most don't say anything unique enough to warrent a second reading.
January 10, 2009
I read this when I was 16 or 17 and it really solidified everything I had learned about the Gospel. It is essentially President Hinckley's stories and testimony of the Restored Gospel. I love it to this day and recommend it to teens through adults.
January 18, 2010
The book was good.It talked about many important subjects in our lives.But the reason why it doesn't receive 5 stars is because most of these teachings i already knew about and there was repetition.But i would suggest this book to anyone who lacks motivation to read the scriptures.
August 24, 2012
President Hinckley has always had a way with words. This compilation of talks and articles from him over the years was a great read, addressing modern day issues, and shedding light on Latter-day Saint beliefs and how we should live.
March 6, 2014
There's nothing new here for those who are familiar with Mormon faith and teachings, but sometimes the repetition of familiar messages is what you need. And reading President Hinckley's words was a little like hearing an old familiar voice--comforting, a little sad, but most welcome.
January 8, 2009
To be honest, this was a hard book for me to get into. It didn't seem to capture my attention as much as his other books do. I still liked it!
June 18, 2008
This was of course a great book. Not long but very inspirational, a good reminder of stepping it up and living our lives as better examples and disciples of Christ
July 7, 2015
So point on. Love President Hinckley.
April 7, 2012
Miss this man!
December 11, 2008
You can't help but to feel uplifted when reading his words. You can always feel his testimony and it's so awesome to feel it!
May 5, 2010
Omgg(goodness gracious)this is great sunday reading. What could pres. hinkley say that wasnt worth hearing again.
March 18, 2011
awesome, inspiring
August 27, 2016
Great book from a great man!
http://jessejamesthoughts.blogspot.co...
http://jessejamesthoughts.blogspot.co...
May 9, 2012
This is one of my favorite books. I think we all need a self evaluation sometimes.
March 22, 2015
Great book with great stories. I miss GBH.
April 10, 2016
Although simply a review of things we should already know, this was very uplifting and a great reminder of those things we should already know!
March 24, 2017
You just can't go wrong with a book by President Hinckley. I love how firm, straightforward, and powerful his writing always is.
July 24, 2017
Elder Hinckley at his best!
May 11, 2018
Great book.
July 7, 2020
Another one I borrowed from Mom and Dad. Like Standing for Something, it was fun to read President Hinckley's voice. Although I definitely enjoyed Standing for Something more - it felt a bit more polished and put together.
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September 3, 2024Contend not with others, but pursue a steady course (11)
Joseph F Smith said, "Let them alone. Let them go. Give them the liberty of speech they want. Let them tell their own story and write their own doom" (gospel doctrine 339)
Joseph F Smith said, "Let them alone. Let them go. Give them the liberty of speech they want. Let them tell their own story and write their own doom" (gospel doctrine 339)
June 4, 2024
Inspirational!
August 29, 2008
Good Read
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews