James E. Faust Quotes

#1. In many ways, each of us is the sum total of what our ancestors were. The virtues they had may be our virtues, their strengths our strengths, and, in a way, their challenges could be our challenges.

James E. Faust

#2. Leadership is about three-fourths show-the-way and about one-fourth follow-up.

James E. Faust

#3. Femininity is not just lipstick, stylish hairdos, and trendy clothes. It is the divine adornment of humanity. It finds expression in your qualities of your capacity to love, your spirituality, delicacy, radiance, sensitivity, creativity, charm, graciousness, gentleness, dignity, and quiet strength.

James E. Faust

#4. Secularism does not accept many things as absolutes. Its principal objectives are pleasure and self-interest. Often, those who embrace secularism have a different look about them.

James E. Faust

#5. In recent years, many seem to have spent their lives protesting. Perhaps they have felt to do this because they have felt repressed or wished to bring about change or have acted out of selfish reasons, thinking that if they tore the house down they might end up with a shingle.

James E. Faust

#6. The temple was a place of learning for the Savior when He was on the earth; it was very much a part of His life. Temple blessings are available once again in our day.

James E. Faust

#7. Don't take too much council from your fears.

James E. Faust

#8. One of the advantages of having lived a long time is that you can often remember when you had it worse. I am grateful to have lived long enough to have known some of the blessings of adversity.

James E. Faust

#9. Others can challenge and motivate us, but we must reach down deep into our souls and call forth our God-given intelligence and capabilities. We cannot do this when we depend on the efforts of someone else.

James E. Faust

#10. Private choices are not private; they all have public consequences ... Our society is the sum total of what millions of individuals do in their private lives. That sum total of private behavior has worldwide public consequences of enormous magnitude. There are no completely private choices.

James E. Faust

#11. A conviction that you are a daughter of God gives you a feeling of comfort in your self-worth. It means that you can find strength in the balm of Christ. It will help you meet the heartaches and challenges with faith and serenity.

James E. Faust

#12. God and His Son are glorified personages. God the Father is our living Creator, and His Son, Jesus Christ, is our Savior and Redeemer. We have been created in God's image.

James E. Faust

#13. Listen to your parents. Be obedient to them whether you agree with them or not. They love you more than anyone else and have your best interests at heart.

James E. Faust

#14. A grateful heart is a beginning of greatness. It is an expression of humility. It is a foundation for the development of such virtues as prayer, faith, courage, contentment, happiness, love, and well-being.

James E. Faust

#15. In order to do well, missionary work has to be totally positive.

James E. Faust

#16. Self-mastery is a challenge for every individual. Only we can control our appetites and passions. Self-mastery cannot be bought by money or fame. It is the ultimate test of our character. It requires climbing out of the deep valleys of our lives and scaling our own Mount Everests.

James E. Faust

#17. If children are expected to be honest, parents must be honest. If children are expected to be virtuous, parents must be virtuous. If you expect your children to be honorable, you must be honorable.

James E. Faust

#18. Most of us cannot afford to store a year's supply of luxury items, but find it more practical to store staples that might keep us from starving in case of emergency.

James E. Faust

#19. The depth of our belief in the Resurrection and the Atonement of the Savior will, I believe, determine the measure of courage and purpose with which we meet life's challenges.

James E. Faust

#20. Many years spent listening to the tribulations of man have persuaded me that the satisfaction of all desires is completely counterproductive to happiness. Instant and unrestrained gratification is the shortest and most direct route to unhappiness.

James E. Faust

#21. It's not so much what happens to us but how we deal with what happens to us.

James E. Faust

#22. I have been grateful for the influence of my grandmother and my grandfather in my life. I remember my grandmother as a queenly woman. My father could be stern, and my grandparents would remind him that we were just boys.

James E. Faust

#23. Meetings don't have to be endless to be eternal.

James E. Faust

#24. A rebirth out of spiritual adversity causes us to become new creatures.

James E. Faust

#25. I urge the husbands and fathers of this church to be the kind of a man your wife would not want to be without.

James E. Faust

#26. This Christmas and every Christmas will be richer by sharing and enjoying gifts that cannot be held but only felt.

James E. Faust

#27. We make no greater voluntary choice in this life than the selection of a marriage partner. This decision can bring eternal happiness and joy. To find sublime fulfillment in marriage, both partners need to be fully committed to the marriage.

James E. Faust

#28. I see the light shining in your faces. That light comes from the Lord, and as you radiate that light, it will bless you and many others.

James E. Faust

#29. We acquire a testimony of the principles of the gospel by obediently trying to live them.

James E. Faust

#30. The great vicarious work for our kindred dead in our temples demonstrates both the justice and the fairness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

James E. Faust

#31. Most of us need time to work through pain and loss. We can find all manner of reasons for postponing forgiveness. One of these reasons is waiting for the wrongdoers to repent before we forgive them. Yet such a delay causes us to forfeit the peace and happiness that could be ours.

James E. Faust

#32. Homemaking is whatever you make of it. Every day brings satisfaction along with some work which may be frustrating, routine, and unchallenging. But it is the same in the law office, the dispensary, the laboratory, or the store. There is, however, no more important job than homemaking.

James E. Faust

#33. Some of our important choices have a time line. If we delay a decision, the opportunity is gone forever. Sometimes our doubts keep us from making a choice that involves change. Thus an opportunity may be missed.

James E. Faust

#34. In the enriching of marriage, the big things are the little things. There must be constant appreciation for each other and thoughtful demonstration of gratitude. A couple must encourage and help each other grow. Marriage is a joint quest for the good, the beautiful, and the divine

James E. Faust

#35. True disciples are those who go beyond simply believing. They act out their belief.

James E. Faust

#36. One of the most difficult parental challenges is to appropriately discipline children. Child rearing is so individualistic. Every child is different and unique. What works with one may not work with another.

James E. Faust

#37. The evil influence of Satan would destroy any hope we have in overcoming our mistakes. He would have us feel that we are lost and that there is no hope. In contrast, Jesus reaches down to us to lift us up.

James E. Faust

#38. Making a wrong choice early may limit making the right choice later.

James E. Faust

#39. A husband should always try to treat his wife with the greatest courtesy and respect, holding her in the highest esteem. He should speak to her in a kind and a soft manner, showing his love by word and deed. As she feels this love and tenderness she will mirror it and return it tenfold.

James E. Faust

#40. In addition to temples, surely another holy place on earth ought to be our homes. The feelings of holiness in my home prepared me for feelings of holiness in the temple.

James E. Faust

#41. A leader must be a good listener. He must be willing to take counsel. He must show a genuine concern and love for those under his stewardship.

James E. Faust

#42. There need to be some absolutes in life.

James E. Faust

#43. Hope is trust in God's promises, faith that if we act now, the desired blessings will be fulfilled in the future.

James E. Faust

#44. I confess that as a young boy, Sunday was not my favorite day. Grandfather shut down the action. We didn't have any transportation. We couldn't drive the car. He wouldn't even let us start the motor. We couldn't ride the horses, or the steers, or the sheep.

James E. Faust

#45. Boys and girls, have confidence in the direction and counsel and advice of your parents and grandparents who love you more than anybody else in the world does.

James E. Faust

#46. It is not good practice to become intrigued by Satan and his mysteries. No good can come from getting close to evil.

James E. Faust

#47. As you seek to know the will of our Heavenly Father in your life and become more spiritual, you will be far more attractive, even irresistible. You can use your smiling loveliness to bless those you love and all you meet, and spread great joy.

James E. Faust

#48. The payment of tithing seems to facilitate keeping the spiritual battery charged in order to make it through the times when the spiritual generator has been idle or not working.

James E. Faust

#49. Why does the Church grow and flourish? It does so because of divine direction to the leaders and members.

James E. Faust

#50. You cannot convert people beyond your own conversion.

James E. Faust

#51. I believe that God has opened up these treasures on intelligence to enhance His purposes on the earth.

James E. Faust

#52. The gap between what is popular and what is righteous is widening.

James E. Faust

#53. What are we doing to keep the light shining in our own eyes and countenances; Much of that light comes from our discipline dedication and consecration.

James E. Faust

#54. We frequently find that the influence of good women is underrated. It is an influence that is often subtle but yet has tremendous consequences. One woman can make a great difference for a whole nation.

James E. Faust

#55. Young women should realize that young men they date will not honor and respect them if they have been involved in moral transgression.

James E. Faust

#56. The principle of work is part of self-discipline. Now, my dear young sisters, I have lived a good many years longer than you, but even back in Grandpa's time there was something to make you want to lie down and go to sleep-they called it work.

James E. Faust

#57. Although science and technology open up boundless opportunities, they also present great perils because Satan employs these marvelous discoveries to his great advantage.

James E. Faust

#58. Every father and mother are the family's store keepers. They should store whatever their family would like to have in case of an emergency ... (and) God will sustain us through our trials.

James E. Faust

#59. Let us remember that we need to forgive to be forgiven.

James E. Faust

#60. Without question, we need to be informed of the happenings in the world. But modern communication brings into our homes a drowning cascade of the violence and misery of the worldwide human race. There comes a time when we need to find some peaceful spiritual renewal.

James E. Faust

#61. Your criticism may be worse than the conduct you are trying to correct.

James E. Faust

#62. The priesthood of God has become the eminent power for good in the world. We are no longer a handful of people on the fringes of society. This great power for good has been entrusted to us, and we must not weaken it by failing in our responsibilities.

James E. Faust

#63. Look at everything through the lens of eternity. If you will do this, life will take on a different perspective.

James E. Faust

#64. As the Only Begotten Son of the Father in the flesh, Jesus inherited divine attributes. He was the only person ever born into mortality who could perform this most significant and supernal act.

James E. Faust

#65. Obedience brings peace in decision making. If we have firmly made up our minds to follow the commandments, we will not have to redecide which path to take when temptation comes our way.

James E. Faust

#66. We should ask ourselves; What are the Brethren saying? The living prophets can open the visions of eternity; they give counsel on how to overcome the world. We cannot know that counsel if we do not listen. We cannot receive the blessings we are promised if we do not follow the counsel given

James E. Faust

#67. There is only one Church, and the responsibility for missionary work is universal. 'Every member a missionary.'

James E. Faust

#68. We were called, male and female, to do great works with separate approaches and separate assignments.

James E. Faust

#69. Now, a leader must cause things to happen and lives to be affected. Something should move and change. He must see that those under him do not fail. But it should be done in the Lord's way.

James E. Faust

#70. Hope is the anchor of our souls. I know of no one who is not in need of hope - young or old, strong or weak, rich or poor.

James E. Faust

#71. Just as order gave life and beauty to the earth when it was dark and void, so it does to us. Obedience helps us develop the full potential Heavenly Father desires for us in becoming celestial beings worthy some day to live in His presence.

James E. Faust

#72. Being a father or a mother is not only a great challenge, it is a divine calling. It is an effort requiring consecration.

James E. Faust

#73. When we tell little white lies, we become progressively color-blind. It is better to remain silent than to mislead.

James E. Faust

#74. May we dedicate our lives to serving the Lord and not worry about offending the devil.

James E. Faust

#75. I remember the day of my baptism very vividly. I was baptized in the baptismal font in the Tabernacle on Temple Square. Those who were being baptized put on white coveralls, and one by one were gently taken down the steps into the water.

James E. Faust

#76. The holy scriptures as well as the local and General Authorities of the Church provide a safety net of counsel and guidance for the people of the Church.

James E. Faust

#77. Those who enter into marriage, must be fully prepared to establish their marriage, as the first priority in their lives.

James E. Faust

#78. Honesty is more than not lying. It is truth telling, truth speaking, truth living, and truth loving.

James E. Faust

#79. We learn much of parenting from our own parents. My love for my father deepened profoundly when he was kind, patient, and understanding.

James E. Faust

#80. Leaders receive and give assignments. This is an important part of the necessary principle of delegating. No one appreciates a willing volunteer more than I, but the total work cannot be done as the Lord wants it done merely by those doing the work who may be present at meetings.

James E. Faust

#81. Modern conveniences grant us more free time to focus on spiritual needs and devote more time to personal service. But the basic element which should never change in the lives of righteous young women is giving service to others.

James E. Faust

#82. I urge all who have not yet received these greatest of all blessings within the walls of the temple to do whatever may be necessary to qualify to receive them.

James E. Faust

#83. You must have the strength to discipline yourselves so that you can accomplish your goals and enhance your natural strengths. Habits of self-discipline formed while you are young will become part of the makeup of your character for the rest of your lives.

James E. Faust

#84. True charity ought to begin in marriage, for it is a relationship that must be rebuilt every day.

James E. Faust

#85. Peace in this life is based upon faith and testimony. We can all find hope from our personal prayers and gain comfort from the scriptures. Priesthood blessings lift us and sustain us. Hope also comes from direct personal revelation, to which we are entitled if we are worthy.

James E. Faust

#86. I know with all my heart and soul that God lives. I believe He will enlighten our lives with His love for each of us if we strive to be worthy of that love, in the holy name of Jesus Christ, amen.

James E. Faust

#87. The Holy Ghost is the greatest guarantor of inward peace in our unstable world.

James E. Faust

#88. Faith is the power, obedience is the price, love is the motive, the Spirit is the key and Christ is the reason.

James E. Faust

#89. Among the other values children should be taught are respect for others, beginning with the child's own parents and family; respect for the symbols of faith and the patriotic beliefs of others; respect for law and order; respect for the property of others; respect for authority.

James E. Faust

#90. Unfortunately, some of our poor choices are irreversible, but many are not. Often, we can change course and get back on the right track.

James E. Faust

#91. Latter-day Saints, having received the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, are entitled to personal inspiration in the small events of life as well as when they are confronted with the giant Goliaths of life.

James E. Faust

#92. Just as the earth is a planet in its own right, so each of us is an individual in our own sphere of habitation. We are individuals, but we live in families and communities where order provides a system of harmony that hinges on obedience to principles.

James E. Faust

#93. Each temple building is an inspiration, magnificent and beautiful in every way, but the temple building alone does not bless. The endowed blessings and divine functions - come through obedience and faithfulness to priesthood authority and covenants made.

James E. Faust

#94. [Patriarchal Blessing] - These privileged blessings are a powerful witness of the mission of the Lord Jesus Christ in bringing exaltation to each of us.

James E. Faust

#95. As children of the Lord we should strive every day to rise to a higher level of personal righteousness in all of our actions.

James E. Faust

#96. I am profoundly grateful that all of my life I have had a simple faith that Jesus is the Christ. That witness has been confirmed to me hundreds of times. It is the crowning knowledge of my soul. It is the spiritual light of my being. It is the cornerstone of my life.

James E. Faust

#97. We hear many persuasive voices demanding freedom from restrictions, particularly from moral restraints. However, we learn from the history of the earth that any successful society has had boundaries.

James E. Faust

#98. All of us suffer some injuries from experiences that seem to have no rhyme or reason. We cannot understand or explain them. We may never know why some things happen in this life. The reason for some of our suffering is known only to the Lord.

James E. Faust

#99. For many, living a Christlike life every day may be even more difficult than laying down one's life.

James E. Faust

#100. It is a mistake for women to think that life begins only with marriage. A woman can and must have an identity and feel useful, valued, and needed whether she is single or married. She must feel that she can do something for someone else that no one else ever born can do.

James E. Faust