Ship Painting

A mother sadly reported to her bishop that her three sons had left home and joined the navy. Why they had done this, in view of other opportunities for employment, further schooling, missions, or even another branch of the service, was very perplexing to this loving mother. The bishop tried to comfort her by explaining the need young people have to “break away” from home—but he, too, found their action unusual and difficult to explain.

 Then the bishop decided to visit the family home. As he entered the living room, his eye was immediately drawn to the large painting of a ship under full sail. It was the only piece of art in the room.

 “There is your reason,” he told the mother. “As your sons have grown up, you have told them every day through this painting of the romance and adventure of the sea. You have taught them well. No wonder they all joined the navy.” 

The message of this true story is obvious. Our home environment—specifically, visual images in the home—has an impact on our lives.

 This idea poses a number of questions for us as Latter-day Saints. Do we fully realize the influence of visual images in the home? What kind of images should be in a Mormon home? Can visual images help explain what we believe? Can our surroundings help us become more spiritual? Is it possible to develop more meaningful feelings about our heritage if we have visual materials of our ancestry available?

Ed Maryon  "Look at Your Walls. What Do You See?" Ensign Dec 1973

Where We Will Stand

Each day the forces of evil and the forces of good pick up new recruits. Each day we personally make many decisions that show where our support will go. The final outcome is certain—the forces of righteousness will finally win. What remains to be seen is where each of us personally, now and in the future, will stand in this fight—and how tall we will stand. Will we be true to our last-days, foreordained mission?

Great battles can make great heroes, but heroes will make great battle. You will never have a better opportunity to be a greater hero in a more crucial battle than in the battle you will face today and in the immediate future. Be warned that some of the greatest battles you will face will be fought within the silent chambers of your own soul. David’s battles in the field against the foe were not as critical as David’s battles in the palace against a lustful eye. We will each find our own battlefield. The tactics that the enemy will use against us will vary from time to time; he will feel after our weak spots. We must be alert to the devil’s devious designs, to the subtle sins and clever compromises as well as the obvious offenses.

 Ezra Taft Benson "In His Steps" 4 May 1979