Quotes from David O. McKay

Freedom of choice is more to be treasured than any possession earth can give.

Only to the extent that men desire peace and brotherhood can the world be made better. No peace even though temporarily obtained, will be permanent, whether to individuals or nations, unless it is built upon the solid foundation of eternal principles.

Let us realize that: the privilege to work is a gift, the power to work is a blessing, the love of work is success!

Men may yearn for peace, cry for peace, and work for peace, but there will be no peace until they follow the path pointed out by the Living Christ. He is the true light of men's lives.

Gossip bespeaks either a vacant mind or one that entertains jealousy or envy.

Everyone is possessed with an irresistible desire to know his relationship to the Infinite.

The real test of any church or religion is the kind of men it makes.

An unsatisfied appetite for knowledge means progress and is the state of a normal mind.

Children are more influenced by sermons you act than by sermons you preach.

I'm going to tell you the most important secret of human life. The most critical need of the human soul is to be kind.

Character is the aim of true education; and science, history, and literature are but means used to accomplish this desired end.

… The most worthy calling in life is that in which man can serve best his fellow man. … The noblest aim in life is to strive to live to make other lives better and happier.

[Liberty] is freedom of choice, a divine gift, an essential virtue in a peaceful society.

The greatest spiritual blessing comes from helping another.

If our young people could but glimpse it, it would be the most powerful spiritual motivation of their lives!

The greatest comfort in this life is having a close relationship with God.

The kind of life you live, your disposition, your very nature, will be determined by your thoughts, of which your acts are but the outward expression. Thought is the seed of action.

Adversity itself may lead toward and not away from God and spiritual enlightenment; and privation may prove a source of strength if we can but keep a sweetness of mind and spirit.

That which a man continually thinks about determines his actions in times of opportunity and stress. I will know what you are if you tell me what you think about when you don't have to think.

Let us realize that: the privilege to work is a gift, the power to work is a blessing, the love of work is success!

There is no success which can compensate for the failure of the family.

No other success [in life] can compensate for failure in the home.

A man who cannot control his temper is not very likely to control his passions, and no matter what his pretensions in religion, he moves in daily life very close to the animal plane.

In choosing a companion, it is necessary to study the disposition, the inheritance, and training of the one with whom you are contemplating making life's journey.