From M. Russell Ballard, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, sharing from his book ‘Yesterday, Today, and Forever wrote:
It has been said that actions speak louder than words. If that is true, we do seem to have a difference of opinion as to the purpose of life. For some of us our spending our time and efforts, night and day struggling forward through the years , in the accumulation of this world’s goods. Others are spending themselves in the development of their personal talents, to bring upon themselves the credit and applause of the world. In fact, men and women, by their actions are telling a different story as to the real purpose of life, so far as they are concerned.
President John Taylor made a profound statement over a hundred years ago that I have pondered many times: We are not to follow the devices and desires of our own hearts; we are not here to carry out any particular theory of our own; we are not here to build up any system of man’s creation; but we are simply here to do the will of God in establishment of His kingdom on earth. In many things, however, we have not lived up to the high and glorious privilege which has been presented to us; we have been careless and indifferent, and it seems as though Satan has been permitted to try and tempt us in every possible way. For a few years past the spirit of greed and covetousness has run through the land and cursed us with a withering blight everything it has touched. It is as bad in its effects upon the mind of man as any pestilence or plague upon the human body. We have begun to run after the things of the world; our hearts, feelings, and affections in many instances, have been estranged from God. It is time that something should transpire to wake us up to the position we occupy; it is time we realized how God and angels look upon men (and women) who are absorbed in the things of this world instead of living up to the professions and covenants they have made with him. (Journal of Discourses, 21:13)
Now, I suppose, ever since Adam and Eve walked out of the Garden, men and women have struggled in trying to keep things in balance and trying to keep the spiritual side of life in focus and in proper view. I remind all of us that we are the sons and daughters of God. We have a concept about that that is unique to the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in these latter days. Inside of each of our bodies is a spirit that is begotten of God, our Eternal Father. It was just a few moments ago, really, that we were living with our Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother in the great world of the spirits. We understand our premortal life because we have a prophet. Through the Prophet Joseph Smith, we have an understanding of the relationship we enjoy as sons and daughters of God. We have come to this earth for a very important and significant purpose.
This body of flesh and bones, this tabernacle that houses the spirit that was begotten of our Father, is a very important part of our eternal progression. We have to have this physical body to accomplish the everlasting and eternal prospect of our celestial exaltation in the presence of the Father and the Son. We have to have the capacity that a physical body gives us to become like God and to receive all of the blessings that our Heavenly Father has for his children. The great quest, then, the great challenge that we face in mortality, is to work on the inner self, to work on the spiritual side of our nature.~Elder M. Russell Ballard, Yesterday, Today, and Forever (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2015), 146-147
