Neal A. Maxwell

Neal A. Maxwell
Neal Ash Maxwellwas an apostle and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saintsfrom 1981 until his death...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionClergyman
Date of Birth6 July 1926
CountryUnited States of America
Neal A. Maxwell quotes about
people serenity balance
No "natural" resource is more precious and to be used more wisely than time. These mortal moments matter more than we know. There are no idle hours; there are only idle people. In true righteousness there is serenity, but there is an array of reminders that the "sacred present" is packed with possibilities which are slipping by us, which are going away from us each moment.
jesus heart order
If we are not serving Jesus, and if he is not in our thoughts and hearts, then the things of the world will draw us instead to them! Moreover, the things of the world need not be sinister in order to be diverting and consuming.
jesus cheer optimism
Naive optimism and pervasive pessimism are both to be avoided, therefore. It's not an easy balance to maintain, to be asked to work away in the Ninevehs of our lives without being so conscious of the coming cataclysm that we are not serious citizens of our communities and nations. By living and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, we are doing the most relevant thing we can do by way of helping. (There are civic and other chores to be done, of course.) Day in and day out, the gospel is the one thing that is most relevant, and we are to be of good cheer.
self empathy trying
Trying to observe the slow shift from self-centeredness to empathy is like trying to watch grass grow.
forever sometimes disappointed
It is better to trust and sometimes be disappointed than to be forever mistrusting and be right occasionally.
moving bored enemy
If the Church were not true, our enemies would be bored rather than threatened, and acquiescent rather than anxious. Hell is moved only when things move heavenward.
real needs god-knows
In a very real sense, all we need to know is that God knows all.
memories blessed voice
In a 'wheat and tares' world, how unusually blessed faithful members are to have the precious and constant gift of the Holy Ghost with reminders of what is right and of the covenants we have made. 'For behold, ... the Holy Ghost ... will show unto you all things what ye should do.' (2 Ne. 32:5.) Whatever the decibels of decadence, these need not overwhelm the still, small voice! Some of the best sermons we will ever hear will be thus prompted from the pulpit of memory—to an audience of one!
children joy serious
God is very serious about joy in the lives of His children.
spiritual taken heart
. . . just as God cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance, as we become more like Him, neither can we. The best people have a heightened awareness of what little of the worst is still in them! Indeed, the divine discontent, the justifiable spiritual restlessness that we feel, is a natural follow-on feeling in the disciple who has taken the Lord's counsel to "make you a new heart and a new spirit." (Ezekiel 18:31.)
self giving people
When at length we tire of putting people down, this self-inflicted fatigue can give way to the invigorating calisthenics of lifting people up.
anger light heat
Letting off steam always produces more heat than light.
real stupidity growth
Most of our suffering comes from sin and stupidity; it is, nevertheless, very real, and growth can occur with real repentance. But the highest source of suffering appears to be reserved for the innocent who undergo divine tutorial training.
lds grace survival
God’s grace will cover us like a cloak-enough to provide for survival but too thin to keep out all the cold.