1 Ne. 11:36; 12:18; 22:23; refer in this text to 2 Ne. 9:28-30 & Jacob 2:13-17; 3 Ne. 6:10-16
“A few members of the Church, alas, desert the cause; they are like one who abandons an oasis to search for water in the desert. Some of these few will doubtless become critics, and they will be welcomed into the ‘great and spacious building.’ Henceforth, however, so far as their theological accommodations are concerned, they are in a spacious but third-rate hotel. All dressed up, as the Book of Mormon says, ‘exceedingly fine’ (1 Nephi 8:27), they have no place to go except—one day, hopefully, home.” (Neal A. Maxwell, First Nephi, The Doctrinal Foundation, BYU Religious Studies Center, p. 11)
“The current cries we hear coming from the great and spacious building tempt us to compete for ownership in the things of this world. We think we need a larger home, with a three-car garage, a recreational vehicle parked next to it. We long for designer clothes, extra TV sets, all with VCRs, the latest model computers, and the newest car. Often these items are purchased with borrowed money, without giving any thought to providing for our future needs. The result of all this instant gratification is overloaded bankruptcy courts and families that are far too preoccupied with their financial burdens.” (L. Tom Perry, Ensign, Nov. 1995, p. 35)
“Unfortunately, some are among us who claim to be Church members but are somewhat like the scoffers in Lehi’s vision—standing aloof and seemingly inclined to hold in derision the faithful who choose to accept Church authorities as God’s special witnesses of the gospel and his agents in directing the affairs of the Church.” (Harold B. Lee, Conference Report, Apr. 1971, p. 91)