Below are the quotes that were used in the video.
The question “What lack I yet?” was asked by a young rich man long ago but could be asked by all of us today. This video will discuss more than merely asking but acting on God’s inspiration daily. We will start by looking at some parables teaching us about prayer. We will also study the thrill God must have of being merciful, especially to those who don’t expect it and often feel they don’t deserve it.
President Steven J. Lund: “About a month ago, President Bonnie H. Cordon and I were asked to report to the First Presidency on the FSY program and how it rolled out this past summer in the United States and Canada. We finished our presentation and responded to a few thoughtful questions about our plans to make further improvements, and the meeting seemed to end. But as we started to move from our chairs, President Nelson leaned forward, and he said, “We must teach them to pray.” We immediately sat back down again. He said, “We must teach them to pray, to whom they pray, and the language of prayer.” And then he went on to say that he was concerned that we may be becoming too casual in the way that we address Heavenly Father. And then he repeated the phrase “We need to teach them to pray, to whom they pray, and the language of prayer.” So let’s teach them to pray. Every time we utter a prayer, we are inviting Heavenly Father to intervene in our lives. Every prayer is a prayer for a miracle. Even prayers of gratitude hope to deepen our relationships with the divine.” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/broadcasts/s-and-i-training/2022/01/12lund?lang=eng)
President Russel M. Nelson: “As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are to be examples of how to interact with others — especially when we have differences of opinion. One of the easiest ways to identify a true follower of Jesus Christ is how compassionately that person treats other people.”
“The Savior’s message is clear: His true disciples build, lift, encourage, persuade and inspire — no matter how difficult the situation. True disciples of Jesus Christ are peacemakers.”
“My dear brothers and sisters, how we treat each other really matters! How we speak to and about others at home, at church, at work and online really matters. Today, I am asking us to interact with others in a higher, holier way.” (https://www.thechurchnews.com/general-conference/2023/4/2/23666426/president-nelson-april-2023-general-conference-peacemakers-needed)
President Harold B. Lee: “The rich young ruler did not need to be taught repentance from murder nor from murderous thoughts. He did not have to be schooled in how to repent from adultery, nor from stealing, lying, defrauding, or failing to honor his mother. All these he said he had observed from his youth. ...“The Master, with His keen discernment and the power of a Great Teacher, diagnosed the young man’s case perfectly: His need and his lack were to overcome his love for worldly things. ...
“Every one of us, if we would reach perfection, must one time ask ourselves this question, ‘What lack I yet?’ if we would commence our climb upward on the highway to perfection. The effective leader is one who helps the learner to discover that lack, to diagnose his basic difficulties, and then to prescribe his spiritual remedies” (Stand Ye in Holy Places 1974, 208-10).
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin: “Worthiness interviews are conducted in a spirit of loving concern for each son and daughter of a loving God. These interviews represent the rehearsal stage for final judgment. Such interviews are a blessing, a choice opportunity to account to the Lord through His authorized servants for the sacred stewardship we all have to “watch ourselves, and our thoughts, and our words, and our deeds.” (Ensign, May 1997, 16)
Elder Jeffery R. Holland: “This parable—like all parables—is not really about laborers or wages any more than the others are about sheep and goats. This is a story about God’s goodness, His patience and forgiveness, and the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a story about generosity and compassion. It is a story about grace. It underscores the thought I heard many years ago that surely the thing God enjoys most about being God is the thrill of being merciful, especially to those who don’t expect it and often feel they don’t deserve it.” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2012/04/the-laborers-in-the-vineyard?lang=eng)
Elder Jeffery R. Holland: “It is with that reading of the story that I feel the grumbling of the first laborers must be seen. As the householder in the parable tells them (and I paraphrase only slightly): “My friends, I am not being unfair to you. You agreed on the wage for the day, a good wage. You were very happy to get the work, and I am very happy with the way you served. You are paid in full. Take your pay and enjoy the blessing. As for the others, surely I am free to do what I like with my own money.” Then this piercing question to anyone then or now who needs to hear it: “Why should you be jealous because I choose to be kind?”
“Brothers and sisters, there are going to be times in our lives when someone else gets an unexpected blessing or receives some special recognition. May I plead with us not to be hurt—and certainly not to feel envious—when good fortune comes to another person? We are not diminished when someone else is added upon. We are not in a race against each other to see who is the wealthiest or the most talented or the most beautiful or even the most blessed. The race we are really in is the race against sin, and surely envy is one of the most universal of those.
“The formula of faith is to hold on, work on, see it through, and let the distress of earlier hours—real or imagined—fall away in the abundance of the final reward. Don’t dwell on old issues or grievances—not toward yourself nor your neighbor nor even, I might add, toward this true and living Church. The majesty of your life, of your neighbor’s life, and of the gospel of Jesus Christ will be made manifest at the last day, even if such majesty is not always recognized by everyone in the early going. So don’t hyperventilate about something that happened at 9:00 in the morning when the grace of God is trying to reward you at 6:00 in the evening—whatever your labor arrangements have been through the day.” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2012/04/the-laborers-in-the-vineyard?lang=eng)
Teaching Thoughts:
President Steven J. Lund: “About a month ago, President Bonnie H. Cordon and I were asked to report to the First Presidency on the FSY program and how it rolled out this past summer in the United States and Canada. We finished our presentation and responded to a few thoughtful questions about our plans to make further improvements, and the meeting seemed to end. But as we started to move from our chairs, President Nelson leaned forward, and he said, “We must teach them to pray.” We immediately sat back down again. He said, “We must teach them to pray, to whom they pray, and the language of prayer.” And then he went on to say that he was concerned that we may be becoming too casual in the way that we address Heavenly Father. And then he repeated the phrase “We need to teach them to pray, to whom they pray, and the language of prayer.” So let’s teach them to pray. Every time we utter a prayer, we are inviting Heavenly Father to intervene in our lives. Every prayer is a prayer for a miracle. Even prayers of gratitude hope to deepen our relationships with the divine.” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/broadcasts/s-and-i-training/2022/01/12lund?lang=eng)
President Russel M. Nelson: “As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are to be examples of how to interact with others — especially when we have differences of opinion. One of the easiest ways to identify a true follower of Jesus Christ is how compassionately that person treats other people.”
“The Savior’s message is clear: His true disciples build, lift, encourage, persuade and inspire — no matter how difficult the situation. True disciples of Jesus Christ are peacemakers.”
“My dear brothers and sisters, how we treat each other really matters! How we speak to and about others at home, at church, at work and online really matters. Today, I am asking us to interact with others in a higher, holier way.” (https://www.thechurchnews.com/general-conference/2023/4/2/23666426/president-nelson-april-2023-general-conference-peacemakers-needed)
President Harold B. Lee: “The rich young ruler did not need to be taught repentance from murder nor from murderous thoughts. He did not have to be schooled in how to repent from adultery, nor from stealing, lying, defrauding, or failing to honor his mother. All these he said he had observed from his youth. ...“The Master, with His keen discernment and the power of a Great Teacher, diagnosed the young man’s case perfectly: His need and his lack were to overcome his love for worldly things. ...
“Every one of us, if we would reach perfection, must one time ask ourselves this question, ‘What lack I yet?’ if we would commence our climb upward on the highway to perfection. The effective leader is one who helps the learner to discover that lack, to diagnose his basic difficulties, and then to prescribe his spiritual remedies” (Stand Ye in Holy Places 1974, 208-10).
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin: “Worthiness interviews are conducted in a spirit of loving concern for each son and daughter of a loving God. These interviews represent the rehearsal stage for final judgment. Such interviews are a blessing, a choice opportunity to account to the Lord through His authorized servants for the sacred stewardship we all have to “watch ourselves, and our thoughts, and our words, and our deeds.” (Ensign, May 1997, 16)
Elder Jeffery R. Holland: “This parable—like all parables—is not really about laborers or wages any more than the others are about sheep and goats. This is a story about God’s goodness, His patience and forgiveness, and the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a story about generosity and compassion. It is a story about grace. It underscores the thought I heard many years ago that surely the thing God enjoys most about being God is the thrill of being merciful, especially to those who don’t expect it and often feel they don’t deserve it.” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2012/04/the-laborers-in-the-vineyard?lang=eng)
Elder Jeffery R. Holland: “It is with that reading of the story that I feel the grumbling of the first laborers must be seen. As the householder in the parable tells them (and I paraphrase only slightly): “My friends, I am not being unfair to you. You agreed on the wage for the day, a good wage. You were very happy to get the work, and I am very happy with the way you served. You are paid in full. Take your pay and enjoy the blessing. As for the others, surely I am free to do what I like with my own money.” Then this piercing question to anyone then or now who needs to hear it: “Why should you be jealous because I choose to be kind?”
“Brothers and sisters, there are going to be times in our lives when someone else gets an unexpected blessing or receives some special recognition. May I plead with us not to be hurt—and certainly not to feel envious—when good fortune comes to another person? We are not diminished when someone else is added upon. We are not in a race against each other to see who is the wealthiest or the most talented or the most beautiful or even the most blessed. The race we are really in is the race against sin, and surely envy is one of the most universal of those.
“The formula of faith is to hold on, work on, see it through, and let the distress of earlier hours—real or imagined—fall away in the abundance of the final reward. Don’t dwell on old issues or grievances—not toward yourself nor your neighbor nor even, I might add, toward this true and living Church. The majesty of your life, of your neighbor’s life, and of the gospel of Jesus Christ will be made manifest at the last day, even if such majesty is not always recognized by everyone in the early going. So don’t hyperventilate about something that happened at 9:00 in the morning when the grace of God is trying to reward you at 6:00 in the evening—whatever your labor arrangements have been through the day.” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2012/04/the-laborers-in-the-vineyard?lang=eng)
Teaching Thoughts:
- Invite family/class to write a parable about prayer. What they write about may help another in your group.
- Following Christ’s example, how can we call to, and stand for all to come unto Christ? Especially those who are young (child) and lack vision (blind).
- What lack I yet?
- “The thing God enjoys most about being God is the thrill of being merciful, especially to those who don’t expect it and often feel they don’t deserve it.”