10-22-11 Continued “Pride”, Benson

10-22-11    Continued “Pride”, Benson

conflicts. The scriptures tell us that “only by pride cometh contention.”
I think I need to work on my unrighteous dominion.  I still see myself trying to motivate and control  my children through fear or force because I get tired or run out of patience and forget to ask for more…  The way that I notice it is because the children do the same thing to each other, and when I see that it’s really bitter.  I abhor it.  I want to see them talk nicely to each other and motivate through kindness.  In this I still await the grace of deliverance…  What must I do to overcome it?



Christ wants to lift us to where He is. Do we desire to do the same for others?
This was literally my prayer this morning because I am giving a seminar today to obey the commandment of the Lord to me. 


Pride is the universal sin, the great vice. Yes, pride is‍ the universal sin, the great vice.
Pride is also contagious.  I have noticed that the more prideful I am, the more prideful my husband is.  I have also seen the converse to be true.  Humility is also contagious.  I have seen my husband become more teachable as I have become more teachable.  The best advice I could give to myself is that if I see that someone else needs to change something, then change that thing in myself and see what happens.  The Lord asked me to do this last summer.  Maybe this is what it means to ‘Do to others as we would have them to do us”.  It is truly amazing.  As Steven Covey says, “We see not the world as it is, but as WE are.”  I have really found this to be true.


we must prepare to redeem Zion. It was essentially the sin of pride that kept us from establishing Zion in the days of the Prophet Joseph Smith. It was the same sin of pride that brought consecration to an end among the Nephites. (See 4 Ne. 1:24–25.)

Pride is the great stumbling block to Zion. I repeat: Pride is‍ the great stumbling block to Zion.
Yes, it may be that ‘we must’ but how much do we want it?  If this was the thing that we wanted more than anything else, I believe we would go though all the pain of whatever it takes to really let go of all our pride.  Yes we may say we want Zion, but what do our actions show that we want more?


After reading it today, I couldn’t help but think of President Uchtdorf’s comments on this.  They kind of need to be discussed together.  Here’s the link on Uchtdorf’s



Pride is sinful, as President Benson so memorably taught, because it breeds hatred or hostility and places us in opposition to God and our fellowmen. At its core, pride is a sin of comparison, for though it usually begins with “Look how wonderful I am and what great things I have done,” it always seems to end with “Therefore, I am better than you.”
All of these things help us recognize the sin of pride in ourselves, but how do we overcome it?


They look for any flaw and magnify it.
Am I looking for strengths or weaknesses in others?  What is my vision?  We will eventually get what we desire and work for. 

As priesthood bearers, we must realize that all of God’s children wear the same jersey. Our team is the brotherhood of man. This mortal life is our playing field. Our goal is to learn to love God and to extend that same love toward our fellowman. We are here to live according to His law and establish the kingdom of God. We are here to build, uplift, treat fairly, and encourage all of Heavenly Father’s children.
I love this idea of the same jersey.  Especially as connected with the things taught on the Sermon on the Mount.

We can be grateful for our health, wealth, possessions, or positions, but when we begin to inhale it—when we become obsessed with our status; when we focus on our own importance, power, or reputation; when we dwell upon our public image and believe our own press clippings—that’s when the trouble begins; that’s when pride begins to corrupt
It seems like gratitude and humility are the antidotes for pride.  If we are focused on Zion and unity then we will desire to lift others up. 

by design, the Lord chooses “the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.” 13 ‍ The Lord does this to show that His hand is in His work, lest we “trust in the arm of flesh.” 14
I feel this so strongly today because of my seminar.  I feel so weak, yet I am willing to do what He has asked.

So how do we conquer this sin of pride that is so prevalent and so damaging? How do we become more humble?

It is almost impossible to be lifted up in pride when our hearts are filled with charity.
Here’s the question I asked earlier. 

The moment we stop obsessing with ourselves and lose ourselves in service, our pride diminishes and begins to die.
Maybe this is why the Lord has asked me to do this today, so that I could loose my pride…

let us follow the example of our Savior and reach out to serve rather than seeking the praise and honor of men. It is my prayer that we will recognize and root out unrighteous pride in our hearts and that we will replace it with “righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, [and] meekness.” 27
It seems with my focus on living my mission that I have a desire to be an instrument and to serve.  As the Spirit leads me along this path, I see my pride being rooted out.  The more I feel the acceptance of my Heavenly Father, the less I feel a need to be liked or accepted by others.  I love this talk.  It clarifies so much for me.

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