The Father's plan is designed to provide direction for His children, to help them become happy, and to bring them safely home to Him with resurrected, exalted bodies.

Thus, the enabling and strengthening aspect of the Atonement helps us to see and to do and to become good in ways that we could never recognize or accomplish with our limited moral capacity. I testify and witness that the enabling power of the Savior’s Atonement is real. Without that strengthening power of the Atonement, I could not stand before you this morning.

If all opposition were curtailed, if all maladies were removed, then the primary purposes of the Father’s plan would be frustrated.

One of my favorite activities as a priesthood leader is visiting members of the Church in their homes. I especially enjoy calling upon and talking with members who commonly are described as ‘less active.’

It frankly does not make sense to occasionally ‘fill up’ with water, with long periods of dehydration in between. The same thing is true spiritually. Spiritual thirst is a need for living water. A constant flow of living water is far superior to sporadic sipping.

As we gain experience with the Holy Ghost, we learn that the intensity with which we feel the Spirit’s influence is not always the same.

The power of procreation is spiritually significant. Misuse of this power subverts the purposes of the Father’s plan and of our mortal existence. Our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son are creators and have entrusted each of us with a portion of Their creative power.

Our sincere desire should be to have both clean hands and a pure heart – both a remission of sins from day to day and to walk guiltless before God.

A spiritual ‘spurter’ is one who is given to short bursts of spectacular effort followed by frequent and lengthy periods of rest.

Ordinary men are given the authority of the priesthood. Worthiness and willingness – not experience, expertise, or education – are the qualifications for priesthood ordination.