Neal A. Maxwell
“For ’the man of Christ,’ the words of scriptures are like parachute flares above the trenches of life, illuminating the landscape only briefly, but long enough for him to see the enemy clearly and to make his way along the path he must take-and to help others so to do.” (Deposition of a Disciple, p. 95)
Neal A. Maxwell
"Those already in the household of faith may be pardoned a tremble or two as they read the graphic description of the challenging journey facing the serious disciple—whom Helaman called, ’the man of Christ.’ (Hel. 3:29.)
"This is a brief attempt to describe just a few of the things the men and women of Christ will feel and see in the course of that adventurous journey.
"Regarding events in the world, ‘the man of Christ’ sees trends around him ’about which it is difficult to speak, but impossible to remain silent.‘ Because he sees with ’an eye of faith,’ he knows more than he can tell; but he need not always be fully articulate, for real Christianity is contagious.
"He believes deeply in the Beatitudes, but also in those doctrines which tell him ‘who’ Jesus is. He does not divorce the Sermon on the Mount from the sermon at Capernaum with its hard teachings which caused many to walk ‘no more with’ Jesus. (John 6:66.) These latter doctrines are likewise a part of the bracing breeze of the scriptures which must be played upon the fevered brow of mankind.
"He knows that ’the gate of heaven is open unto all,’ but that the Man of Galilee will finally judge each of us on the basis of a rigorous celestial theology, instead of the popular ’no-fault theology’ of this telestial world—for Jesus is the gatekeeper ’and he employeth no servant there.’ (2 Ne. 9:41.)
“…May each of us, brothers and sisters, navigate that straight and narrow way, landing our immortal souls ’at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven.’ (Hel. 3:30.) Only then, when we are really home, will our mortal homesickness disappear—our highest human yearnings for what could be are but muffled memories of what once was—and will again be—for we have indeed ’wandered from a more exalted sphere.’ (Hymns, no. 138.) May we make that journey I so pray in the name of Him who has completed this same journey and who beckons us onward, Jesus Christ. Amen.” (Conference Report, Ensign, May 1975, p. 101)
Franklin D. Richards
“The sum of the whole matter is, that having found the straight and narrow path that leads to the tree of eternal life, our only safety is in seizing hold of the rod of iron, which is the word of God, and clinging to it through all the dark, misty and troublesome experiences we may be called to pass through; and that if we do this we shall find ourselves eventually partaking of those fruits which will bring to us eternal life, with joys supernal.” (Collected Discourses 1886-1898, vol. 1., edited by Brian H. Stuy, April 8, 1888)