Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven

Do you find yourself sacrificing your time, talents, energies for others? Good idea. "And it came to pass that he said unto them . . . as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light; yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life." Mosiah 18:8-9 "We really don't know how much good we can do until we put forth the effort to achieve our objectives. Our testimonies can penetrate the hearts of others and can bring to them the blessings which will prevail in this troubled world and which will guide them to exaltation" (The Teachings of Thomas S. Monson, p. 311).

"And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.  And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shall talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." Deuteronomy 6:5-7  "I came across a statement . . . from Thomas Jefferson, who said, 'If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, . . . it expects what never was and never will be.'  And as I thought of that, I paraphrased it and applied it to [the Church].  If the Church expects the family can be both ignorant and safe, it expects what never was and never will be.  Therein I think is our great responsibility. . . .     "Those who apostatize from this church apostatized for one of two reasons---Either because they have sinned and lost the faith, or they're ignorant of the doctrines of the Church.  I say, you think about what I have just said.  If we, as the Church, expect the family can be ignorant and safe, we expect what never was and never will be" (The Teachings of Harold B. Lee, p. 298).