Hinckley Quotes & Sayings

Anything so precious as the gospel of Jesus Christ is worthy of all the effort and sacrifice of time and means employed to teach it. — Gordon B. Hinckley

The smallest gesture can mean to much to those who may need a little lift in their lives. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Through reading the scriptures, we can gain the assurance of the Spirit that that which we read has come of God for the enlightenment, blessing, and joy of his children. — Gordon B. Hinckley

I am so profoundly grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ, for a testimony of the Atonement of the Savior. I believe in it with all my heart, and I live for it, and I bear witness of it this day. Of all of the events of human history, none other approaches the Atonement of the Savior in its meaning and in its results. God be thanked for the gift of His precious Son, to whom we all owe thanks for His sacrifice in our behalf. — Gordon B. Hinckley

A testimony is a conviction, a quiet inward certainty of the reality of the living God, of the divinity of His Beloved Son, of the restoration of Their work in this time. It demands that we do what He has asked us to do. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Behold your little ones. Pray with them. Pray for them and bless them. The world into which they are moving is a complex and difficult world. They will run into heavy seas of adversity. They will need all the strength and all the faith you can give them while they are yet near you. While they are young, pray with them that they may come to know that source of strength which shall then always be taught of the Lord' and great shall be the peace of thy children. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Stick to a task, 'til it sticks to you. Beginners are many, finishers are few. -Anonymous, as quoted in Small and Simple Things. — Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Education will equip you to do something worthwhile in the great world of opportunity that lies ahead. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Let us never forget to pray. God lives. He is near. He is real. He is not only aware of us but cares for us. He is our Father. He is accessible to all who will seek Him. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Mortality is but a stepping-stone to a more glorious existence in the future. — Gordon B. Hinckley

I know your lives are busy. I know that you have much to do. But I make you a promise that if you will go to the house of the Lord, you will be blessed; life will be better for you. — Gordon B. Hinckley

That's the test, when all is said and done. Does it persuade one to do good, to rise, to stand tall, to do the right thing, to be kind, to be generous? Then it is of the Spirit of God. If it is dark, sinister, ugly, not good, then you may know that it is of the adversary. — Gordon B. Hinckley

If we will concentrate on the best, that element will grow until it sparkles. — Gordon B. Hinckley

The Lord is forgiving, but sometimes life is not forgiving. — Gordon B. Hinckley

The gospel is a thing of joy. It provides us with a reason for gladness. Of course there is sorrow. Of course there are hours of concern and anxiety. We all worry. But the Lord has told us to lift our hearts and rejoice. — Gordon B. Hinckley

As you work with your associates to help them with their faith, you will save them and also yourselves. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Be believing, be happy, don't get discouraged. Things will work out. — Gordon B. Hinckley

I think the world would be much poorer without religion, speaking generally. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Be virtuous in thought and in deed. God has planted in you, for a purpose, a divine urge which may be easily subverted to evil and destructive ends. — Gordon B. Hinckley

It's true, isn't it? Then what else really matters? — Gordon B. Hinckley

For as long as (the Founding Fathers of this nation) lived and led, they acknowledged the hand of the Almighty in the affairs of this republic. Our coinage and our currency carry the national motto. It simply says, 'In God We Trust.' I believe this is the foundation upon which this nation was established, an unequivocal trust in the power of the Almighty to guide and defend us. — Gordon B. Hinckley

You have as great an opportunity for satisfaction in the performance of your duty as I do in mine. The progress of this work will be determined by our joint efforts. Whatever your calling, it is as fraught with the same kind of opportunity to accomplish good as is mine. What is really important is that this is the work of the Master. Our work is to go about doing good as did He. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Without hard work, nothing grows but weeds. — Gordon B. Hinckley

God is only God when he is acting as such. — Gordon B. Hinckley

There is nothing that dulls a personality so much as a negative outlook. — Gordon B. Hinckley

In my ninety-plus years, I have learned a secret. I have learned that when good men and good women face challenges with optimism, things will always work out! Truly, things always work out! Despite how difficult circumstances may look at the moment, those who have faith and move forward with a happy spirit will find that things always work out. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Quiet talk is the language of love. It is the language of peace. It is the language of God. — Gordon B. Hinckley

I cannot understand why any young man - or young woman, for that matter - would wish to undergo the painful process of disfiguring the skin with various multicolored representations of people, animals, and various symbols. — Gordon B. Hinckley

What a wonderful time it is for each of us to do his or her small part in moving the work of the Lord on to its magnificent destiny. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Why all of these broken homes? What happens to marriages that begin with sincere love and a desire to be loyal and faithful and true one to another? There is no simple answer. I acknowledge that. But it appears to me that there are some obvious reasons that account for a very high percentage of these problems. I say this out of experience in dealing with such tragedies. I find selfishness to be the root cause of most of it. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Christmas means 'giving,' and the gift without the giver is bare. Give of yourselves; give of your substance; give of your heart and mind. "Christmas means 'compassion and love' and, most of all 'forgiveness' How poor indeed would be our lives without the influence of His teachings and His matchless example. "He whose birth we commemorate this season is more than the symbol of a holiday. He is the Son of God, the Redeemer of mankind, the King of Kings, the Prince of Peace. — Gordon B. Hinckley

God gave us our agency. He taught us a way. He showed us what to do. But he gave us our agency and left us free to act as we choose to do. — Gordon B. Hinckley

People seem to be looking for discipline in a topsy-turvy world. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Believe in yourselves. Believe in your capacity to do some good in this world. God sent us here for a purpose, and that was to improve the world in which we live. The wonderful thing is that we can do it. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Notwithstanding the trouble, notwithstanding the argument, notwithstanding the increasingly heavy hand of government, notwithstanding the spirit of arrogance we so often display, notwithstanding the growing tide of pornography and permissiveness, notwithstanding occasional corruption in public office and betrayal of sacred trust-I marvel at the miracle of America ... — Gordon B. Hinckley

Sister Hinckley and I are learning that the so-called golden years are laced with lead. — Gordon B. Hinckley

All of us are the products of the lives that touched upon our own lives — Gordon B. Hinckley

Don't waste your time searching and wishing. Grow and be ready ... and you'll see God will give you a love story far better than you could ever dreamed of. — Gordon B. Hinckley

It is not a mark of manhood to carelessly use the name of the Almighty or of His Beloved Son in a vain and flippant way, as many are prone to do. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Born of a noble father and a saintly mother, President Hinckley learned as a young boy the truths of the restored gospel from his faithful parents. He came to respect deeply and value highly his pioneer heritage. — Joseph B. Wirthlin

There are four pillars to a happy marriage: respect one another as individuals; (give) soft answers; (practice)financial honesty; (conduct) family prayer. — Gordon B. Hinckley

I hope that you mothers will realize that when all is said and done, you have no more compelling responsibility, nor any laden with greater rewards, than the nurture you give your children in an environment of security, peace, companionship, love, and motivation to grow and do well. — Gordon B. Hinckley

I do not worry very much about the young men and women, including many returned missionaries, who are of such an age that in all likelihood they will be married within a relatively short time. I feel they should not be put under pressure by counsel from Church leaders to rush into it. But neither do I believe that they should dally along in a fruitless, frustrating, and frivolous dating game that only raises hopes and brings disappointment and in some cases heartache.

The young men should take the initiative in this matter. It goes without saying that they should be encouraged to live worthy of the companionship of a wonderful partner. They should be taught to put aside any thought of selfish superiority and recognize and follow the teaching of the Church that the husband and wife walk side by side with neither one ahead or behind. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Gambling undermines the moral fiber of society. — Gordon B. Hinckley

The best antidote I know for worry is work. The best cure for weariness is the challenge of helping someone who is even more tired. One of the great ironies of life is this: He or she who serves almost always benefits more than he or she who is served. — Gordon B. Hinckley

For the Christ of whom I speak has been revealed in this, the Dispensation of the Fulness [sic] of Times. He, together with His Father, appeared to the boy Joseph Smith in the year 1820, and when Joseph left the grove that day, he knew more of the nature of God than all the learned ministers of the gospel of the ages — Gordon B. Hinckley

I forewarn you, this will be a rather long talk. I am an old man. I do not know how much longer I will live, and so I want to say what I have to say, while I have the strength to say it ... Having been warned, some of you will wish to get comfortable. Pleasant dreams. — Gordon B. Hinckley

You don't need coffee. Nobody needs coffee. You can get along without it. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Integrity is at the heart of commerce in the world in which we live. Honesty and integrity comprise the very underpinnings of society ... Indeed, the strength and safety of any organization-including the family-lie in the integrity of its members. Without personal integrity, there can be no confidence. Without confidence, there can be no prospect of permanent success. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Aim high, but do not aim so high that you totally miss the target. What really matters is that he will love you, that he will respect you, that he will honor you, that he will be absolutely true to you, that he will give you the freedom of expression and let you fly in the development of your own talents. He is not going to be perfect, but if he is kind and thoughtful, if he knows how to work and earn a living, if he is honest and full of faith, the chances are you will not go wrong, that you will be immensely happy. — Gordon B. Hinckley

I believe in the principle that I can make a difference in this world. It may be ever so small, but it will count for the greater good. — Gordon B. Hinckley

I am suggesting that we spend a little less time in idleness, in the fruitless pursuit of watching inane and empty television programs. Time so utilized can be put to better advantage, and the consequences will be wonderful. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Some husbands regard it as their prerogative to compel their wives to fit their standards of what they think to be the ideal. — Gordon B. Hinckley

This Church is true. It will weather every storm that beats against it. It will outlast every critic who rises to mock it. It was established by God our Eternal Father for the blessing of His sons and daughters of all generations. It carries the name of Him who stands as its head, even the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. It is governed and moves by the power of the priesthood. It sends forth to the world another witness of the divinity of the Lord. Be faithful, my friends. Be true. Be loyal to the great things of God which have been revealed in this dispensation. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Truth will prevail. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Think about your particular assignment at this time in your life. It may be to get an education, it may be to rear children, it may be to be a grandparent, it may be to care for an relieve the suffering of someone you love, it may be to do a job in the most excellent way possible, it may be to support someone who has a difficult assignment of their own. Our assignments are varied and they change from time to time. Don't take them lightly. Give them your full heart and energy. Do them with enthusiasm. Do whatever you have to do this week with your whole heart and soul. To do less than this will leave you with an empty feeling. — Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Death is not the end, but a more glorified existence. — Gordon B. Hinckley

To me the gospel is not a great mass of theological jargon. It is a simple and beautiful and logical thing, with one quiet truth following another in orderly sequence. I do not fret over the mysteries. I do not worry whether the heavenly gates swing or slide. I am only concerned that they open. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Tremendous happiness and peace of mind are the results of loving service to others. Nobody can live fully and happily who lives only unto himself or herself. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Never assume that you can make it alone. You need the help of the Lord. Never hesitate to get on your knees in some private place and speak with Him. — Gordon B. Hinckley

May heaven's richest blessings rest upon you, my beloved associates. May faith grow in your hearts. May there be love and peace in your homes. May there be food upon your tables and clothing on your backs. May the smiles of heaven warm your hearts and bring comfort in times of trial. — Gordon B. Hinckley

When an individual is motivated by great and powerful convictions of truth, then he disciplines himself, not because of the demands of the church, but because of the knowledge within his heart — Gordon B. Hinckley

There is no substitute for marrying in the temple. — Gordon B. Hinckley

The truest mark of your success in life will be the quality of your marriage — Gordon B. Hinckley

Indeed, the world is a better place because there was such a leader as President Gordon B. Hinckley. — Joseph B. Wirthlin

I wish to be up and doing. I wish to face each day with resolution and purpose. I wish to use every waking hour to give encouragement, to bless those whose burdens are heavy, to build faith and strength of testimony. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Develop some intellectual curiosity. If you have it, you will never be bored. If you haven't, cultivate it, hold fast to it. Never let it go. To the intellectually curious, the world will always be full of magic, full of wonder. You will be interesting to your friends, to your spouse, and a joy to your children. You will be alive to all the wonderful possibilities of this world. — Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Teach children tolerance. No one need surrender his or her own beliefs while extending tolerance to those with other beliefs. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Oh, I don't think religion has failed. It's man who has failed. Christ hasn't failed. The Gospel hasn't failed. The teachings of God have not failed. — Gordon B. Hinckley

People who carry in their hearts a strong conviction concerning the living reality of the Almighty and their accountability to Him for what they do with their lives are far less likely to become enmeshed in problems that inevitably weaken society. — Gordon B. Hinckley

The home is under siege. So many families are being destroyed ... If anyone can change the dismal situation into which we are sliding, it is you. Rise up, oh women of Zion, rise up to the great challenge which faces you. My message to you, my challenge to you, my prayer is that you will rededicate yourselves to the strengthening of your homes. — Gordon B. Hinckley

How thankful we ought to be ... how thankful we are, for a prophet to counsel us in words of divine wisdom as we walk our paths in these complex and difficult times. The solid assurance we carry in our hearts, the conviction that God will make his will known to his children through his recognized servant is the real basis of our faith and activity. We either have a prophet or we have nothing: and having a prophet, we have everything — Gordon B. Hinckley

We feel the need to emphasize with greater clarity the obligation for members of the Church to become more independent and self reliant. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Let every mother realize that she has no greater blessing than the children who have come to her as a gift from the Almighty; that she has no greater mission than to rear them in light and truth, in understanding and love. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Remember that whatever you do or wherever you are, you are never alone. — Gordon B. Hinckley

The way of the Lord is the way of happiness. 'Wickedness never was happiness' [Alma 41:10]. Transgression never was happiness. Sin never was happiness. Disobedience never was happiness. The way of happiness is following the way of the Lord. I believe this with all my heart. — Gordon B. Hinckley

We live in a world that is filled with filth and sleaze, a world that reeks of evil. You cannot afford that filthy poison to touch you. Stay away from it. Avoid it. — Gordon B. Hinckley

So long as we have more politicians than statesmen, we shall have problems. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Likewise the piercing of the body for multiple rings in the ears, in the nose, even in the tongue. Can they possibly think that is beautiful? It is a passing fancy, but its effects can be permanent. Some have gone to such extremes that the ring had to be removed by surgery. The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve have declared that we discourage tattoos and also "the piercing of the body for other than medical purposes." We do not, however, take any position "on the minimal piercing of the ears by women for one pair of earrings"-one pair only. — Gordon B. Hinckley

You can't take life too seriously. You just have to laugh your way through it. — Marjorie Pay Hinckley

If you have a temper, now is the time to learn to control it. The more you do so while you are young, the more easily it will happen. — Gordon B. Hinckley

There is nothing the Lord has asked of us that in faith we cannot accomplish. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Our burden in going forward is tremendous. But our opportunity is glorious. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Our whole strength rests on the validity of [Joseph Smith's] vision. It either occurred or it did not occur. If it did not, then this work is a fraud. If it did, then it is the most important and wonderful work under the heavens. — Gordon B. Hinckley

I hope you are reading to your children, out loud. That's much better than watching television, much better. They won't get very much out of television except some bad thoughts. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Pray for the strength to walk the high road, which at times may be lonely but which will lead to peace and happiness and joy supernal. — Gordon B. Hinckley

We live in a world of shifting values. The family is falling apart. Parents failing in what they ought to do. — Gordon B. Hinckley

There are others whose lives are blessed when a missionary serves, such as the members of his family who support him, pray for him, and try to live worthy of him. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Mediocrity will never do. You are capable of something better. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Do the best you can. And remember that the greatest asset you have in this world is those children who you've brought into the world, and for whose nurture and care you're responsible. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Strength to do battle begins with enlisting the strength of God. — Gordon B. Hinckley

We all exercise agency in the choices we make. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Church - Come here to learn, go forth to serve. — Gordon B. Hinckley

When I say do your best, I mean your very best. You are capable of so much more. — Gordon B. Hinckley

You must ask for God's help. After each failure, ask forgiveness, pick yourself up, and try again. — Gordon B. Hinckley

If there be any who nurture in their hearts the poisonous brew of enmity toward another, I plead with you to ask the Lord for strength to forgive. This expression of desire will be of the very substance of your repentance. It may not be easy, and it may not come quickly. But if you will seek it with sincerity and cultivate it, it will come. And even though he whom you have forgiven continues to pursue and threaten you, you will know you have done what you could to effect a reconciliation. There will come into your heart a peace otherwise unattainable. — Gordon B. Hinckley

When all is said and done, the greatest satisfaction you'll have in this life as you grow old will be seeing your children grow in righteousness and faith and goodness as citizens of the society of which they are a part. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Our hope concerning the future is great, and our faith is strong. We know we've scarcely scratched the surface of that which will come to pass in the years that lie ahead. — Gordon B. Hinckley

For it is not requisite that a woman should hobble faster than she has strength! — Marjorie Pay Hinckley

I know of no other practise which will make one more attractive in conversation than to be well-read in a variety of subjects. There is a great potential within each of us to go on learning. Regardless of our age, unless there be serious illness, we can read, study, drink in the writings of wonderful men and women. It is never too late to learn. — Gordon B. Hinckley