2 Nephi 5:17 Happiness Through Work
Here are some great bonus quotes to help you think about living after the manner of happiness:
INDUSTRY AND LABOR (2 Nephi 5:17)
1.
"There is no
substitute under the heavens for productive labor. . . . Most of us are
inherently lazy. We would rather loaf than work. . . . But it is work that
spells the difference in the life of a man or woman." Gordon B. Hinckley
(Ensign, Aug. 1992, p. 4)
2. "My father had a horse and buggy
when I was a boy. Then one summer day in 1916, a wonderful thing happened. It
was an unforgettable thing. When he came home that evening he arrived in a
shining black brand-new Model T Ford. . . . The most interesting thing was the
lights. The car had no storage battery. The only electricity came from what was
called a magneto. The output of the magneto was determined by the speed of the
engine. If the engine was running fast, the lights were bright. If the engine
slowed, the lights became a sickly yellow. I learned that if you wanted to see
ahead as you were going down the road, you had to keep the engine running at a
fast clip. So, just as I'd discovered, it is with our lives. Industry,
enthusiasm, and hard work lead to enlightened progress. You have to stay on
your feet and keep moving if you are going to have light in your life."
Gordon B. Hinckley (Ensign, May 1993, pp.53-54)
3. “More and more, young people are
isolating themselves from others by playing video games; wearing headphones;
and interacting through cell phones, e-mail, text messaging, and so on instead
of in person. Much of missionary work involves relating face-to-face with
people, and unless you set the bar higher in the development of your social
skills, you will find yourself underprepared. Let me offer a simple suggestion:
get a job that involves interacting with people. As an increased motivation,
set a goal to earn enough money from your part- or full-time work to pay for at
least a significant part of your mission. I promise great blessings—social,
physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual blessings—to every young man who
pays for a significant part of his mission.” (L. Tom Perry Ensign, Nov
2007, 46–49)
4. "If we want to keep the Spirit,
we must work. There is no greater exhilaration or satisfaction than to know,
after a hard day of work, that we have done our best." Ezra Taft Benson
(Come Unto Christ, p. 96)
5. [Speaking of his youth] "Back
then . . . we were all poor together, and we didn't know it. Work was a given.
Today, for some receiving is a given. . . . I certainly did not always put my
shoulder to the wheel with a `heart full of song,' but I did learn about
shoulders and wheels, which helped later in life, when the wheels grew larger.
Some of today's otherwise good young men mistakenly think that putting their
shoulders to the wheel is the same thing as putting their hands on a steering
wheel! ... I remind you that the gospel of work is part of `the fulness of the
gospel' . . . Alas, a few of our underwhelmed youth work all right, but mostly
at trying to please themselves.... The hardest work you and I will ever do is
to put off our selfishness. It is heavy lifting! ... How blessed we would be if
more sons could work alongside their fathers.... Fathers and sons, if such
teaming up is not already happening at all, please, in the next three months,
select just one, stretching chore to do together.... Knowing how to work will
give you an edge in life.... The capacity to work and work wisely will never
become obsolete. . . . I have not seen any perspiration free shortcuts to the
celestial kingdom; there is no easy escalator to take us there." Neal A.
Maxwell (Ensign, May 1998, pp. 37-39)
6. “How I admire men, women, and
children who know how to work! How the Lord loves the laborer! He said, “In the
sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread,” and “The laborer is worthy of his
hire.” He also gave a promise: “Thrust in your sickle with all your soul, and
your sins are forgiven you.” Those who are unafraid to roll up their
sleeves and lose themselves in the pursuit of worthwhile goals are a blessing
to their families, communities, nations, and to the Church.” (President Dieter
F. Uchtdorf, Conference Oct. 2009)
7. “You young men should not complain
about schooling. Do not immerse yourself so much in the technical that you fail
to learn things that are practical. Everything you can learn that is
practical—in the house, in the kitchen cooking, in the yard—will be of benefit
to you. Never complain about schooling. Study well, and attend always.” (Boyd
K. Packer, Ensign May 2009, 49-52)