2 Ne. 27:27; 3 Ne. 20:41; Matt. 5:27-28; Job 42:2; Psalm 94:11; D&C 97:15-17; 121:45; refer in this text to Alma 12:14; 3 Ne. 12:27-29; Moro. 7:4-11
“We cannot indulge in swearing. We cannot be guilty of profanity; we cannot indulge in impure thoughts, words, and acts and have the Spirit of the Lord with us.” (Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, May 1997, p. 49)
“If men’s secret acts shall be revealed it is likely that their secret thoughts will also be revealed… . The one who harbors evil thoughts sometimes feels safe in the conviction that these thoughts are unknown to others… . Accordingly, men’s deeds and thoughts must be recorded in heaven, and recording angels will not fail to make complete recordings of our thoughts and actions. We pay our tithing and the bishop records it in his book and gives us a receipt. But even if the entry fails to get in the ward record, we shall have full credit for the tithes we paid. There will be no omissions in the heavenly records, and they will all be available at the day of judgment.” (Spencer W. Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 108)
“Control your thoughts. No one steps into immorality in an instant. The first seeds of immorality are always sown in the mind. When we allow our thoughts to linger on lewd or immoral things, the first step on the road to immorality has been taken. I especially warn you against the evils of pornography. Again and again we hear from those caught in deep sin that often the first step on their road to transgression began with pornographic materials.” (Ezra Taft Benson, BYU Speeches of the Year, 1987-88, pp. 51-52)
“A priesthood holder is temperate. This means he is restrained in his emotions and verbal expressions. He does things in moderation and is not given to overindulgence. In a word, he has self-control. He is the master of his emotions, not the other way around. A priesthood holder who would curse his wife, abuse her with words or actions, or do the same to one of his own children is guilty of grievous sin. ‘Can ye be angry, and not sin?’ asked the Apostle Paul (JST Ephesians 4:26). If a man does not control his temper, it is a sad admission that he is not in control of his thoughts… . A priesthood holder is to be patient. Patience is another form of self-control… . Patience is composure under stress… . A priesthood holder who is patient will be tolerant of the mistakes and failings of his loved ones. Because he loves them, he will not find fault nor criticize nor blame… . A priesthood holder is kind. Kindness pardons others’ weaknesses and faults. Kindness is extended to all—to the aged and the young, to animals, to those low of station as well as the high. These are the true attributes of the divine nature.” (Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign, Nov. 1986, p. 47)
“If we entertain temptations, soon they begin entertaining us.” (Neal A. Maxwell, Conference Report, Apr. 1987)
“Talking about or looking at immodest pictures of a woman’s body can stimulate powerful emotions. It will tempt you to watch improper videocassettes or movies… . Work at keeping your thoughts clean by thinking of something good. The mind can think of only one thing at a time. Use that fact to crowd out ugly thoughts. Above all, don’t feed thoughts by reading or watching things that are wrong. If you don’t control your thoughts, Satan will keep tempting you until you eventually act them out.” (Richard G. Scott, Ensign, Nov. 1994, p. 37)
“[Prov. 23:7] Unclean thoughts lead to unclean acts. I remember going to President McKay years ago to plead the cause of a missionary who had become involved in serious sin. I said to President McKay, ‘He did it on an impulse.’ The President said to me: ‘His mind was dwelling on these things before he transgressed. The thought was father to the deed. There would not have been that impulse if he had previously controlled his thoughts.’” (Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, May 1996, p. 48)
“I had read somewhere of a young couple who settled in the wilderness. While the man cleared the land, his wife tended things about the homestead. Occasionally, the cow would get into the garden, and the husband would complain. One day, as he left to get supplies, he said in a sarcastic way, ‘Do you think you’ll be able to keep the cow in while I am gone?’ … That night a terrible storm arose. Frightened by thunder, the cow escaped into the woods. Several days later the husband returned to an empty cabin and an apologetic note: ‘A storm came up, and the cow got out. I am so sorry, but I think I can find her.’ He searched; neither had survived. The author concluded the incident with these words:
Boys flying kites haul in their white-winged birds;
You can call back your kites, but you can’t call back you words.
‘Careful with fire’ is good advice, we know;
‘Careful with words’ is ten times doubly so.
Thoughts unexpressed will often fall back dead.
But God Himself can’t kill them, once they are said!”
(Boyd K. Packer, Conference Report, Oct. 1987, p. 18)
“The fundamental reason why the Lord has instructed us to conduct worthiness interviews in His Church is to teach us to keep the commitments we make. In short, we are to be trained during this season of mortal probation to master ourselves (see Alma 34:33-37) to live with integrity and be true to our covenants. 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.’” (Joseph B. Worthlin, Ensign, May 1997, p. 16)
“We understand that we will live a postmortal life of infinite duration and that we determine the kind of life it will be by our thoughts and actions in mortality. Mortality is very brief but immeasurably important… . We can compare our lives with the flight of a spaceship. When its motor is started up, its trajectory is monitored precisely. Any deviation from its decreed course is corrected immediately. Even a fraction of a degree off course would carry it many miles from its destination if not corrected. The longer the correction is delayed, the greater will be the required adjustment. Can you imagine how far off course we can become without course corrections? … Our course on earth is … determined by the decisions we make each day. We cannot separate our thoughts and actions now from their effects on the future.” (Joseph B. Wirthlin, Ensign, May 1998, pp. 14-16)