The way you think, the way you behave, the way you eat, can influence your life by 30 to 50 years. --Deepak Chopra

J. Rueben Clark on knowledge:

Knowledge is the handmaid of wisdom and waits always upon her bidding.
Knowledge like the wind goeth where it listeth; wisdom braves the blasts and goeth down the middle of the road.
Knowledge sees, feels, and listens; wisdom finds out and gives the lesson.
Knowledge telleth the hours of the sun's coming up and going down; wisdom putteth the hours to the service of man.
Knowledge crieth aloud her excellence; wisdom silently doeth mighty works.

From Gifts of Self-Esteem

Joseph Smith, as recorded by Joseph Young: The Saints [would] cultivate as high a state of perfection in their musical harmonies as the standard of the faith which he had brought was superior to sectarian religion. To obtain this, he gave them to understand that the refinement of singing would depend upon the attainment of the Holy Spirit.

John A. Widtsoe: [In our patriarchal blessings] our special needs may be pointed out; special gifts may be promised us; we may be blessed to overcome our weaknesses, to resist temptation, or to develop our powers, so that we may the more surely achieve the promised blessings. Since all men differ, their blessings may differ; but a patriarchal blessing always confers promises upon us, becomes a warning against failure in life, and a means of guidance in attaining the blessings of the Lord. It may be made of daily help in all the affairs of life. ...He helps us by pointing out the divine goal which we may enjoy if we pay the price.

Robert C. Oaks: The Lord will lead us in a particular role if we will seek and follow his guidance.

Neal A. Maxwell: We each have at least one spiritual gift....Yet, if we despair, then whatever our gifts or talents, we have failed. A gift is no gift until one gives it. Lucifer apparently was and is multi-talented, but his memories of what might have been gnaw at him constantly. No wonder he is an incurable insomniac.

Royden Derrick: God does not select the type of life we live. We make that selection by what we think. If you want to play the part, just act the part.

Gene R. Cook: One of the great processes you go through in life is to discover yourself, to find those gifts and capacities God has given you. He has given you great talents, the smallest part of which you have just begun to utilize. Trust the Lord to assist you in unlocking the door to those gifts. Some of us have created imaginary limits in our minds. There is literally a genius locked up inside each of us. Don't ever let anyone convince you otherwise.

Boyd K. Packer: Restoring what you cannot restore, healing the wound you cannot heal, fixing that which you broke and you cannot fix is the very purpose of the atonement of Christ.

Elder Bruce Hafen: There is a success that compensates for all our failures, after all we can do in good faith. That success is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. By its power, we may arise from the ashes of life filled with incomprehensible beauty and joy.

Darla Isackson: We have succeeded in our homes [and lives] any day we have succeeded in turning to Christ, repenting, having faith in Him, making Him our counselor and guide.

Anne Perry

In what may we seek help and expect to receive it? Almost anything: difficulties, like the endurance of pain or grief, temporary confusion, disappointment so deep it can be all but crippling. The Holy Ghost is not called the Comforter without reason. If we seek it, slowly understanding can come, and healing, the growing of trust.
No one who has experienced such things says it is easy, but the knowledge, and I mean knowledge as a thing far more certain than a hope or trust, the awareness of a presence that will never leave us, can buoy us up no matter how deep the water, or how rough the storm.
If we need the answer to a particular question, we can study it out in our own minds, read the appropriate scripture, or any others that come to mind, clear our hearts of anger, vanity, guilt, the desire to be superior to others, or to prove some point. We can then be prepared to listen.
The answer may not be what we expect, or come in the way we foresee. It is even possible it may not come soon. Perhaps we need greater understanding of other things before we are able to know the answer we seek, even when we hear it. We need spiritual wisdom as well as intellectual. Precept upon precept – grace by grace.
Pray, think deeply and with humility, study, ask – and listen. As each answer comes, accept it and do as it directs, and the next one will be more powerful.

George F. Richards

I quote the following from the poet Wordsworth: ‘To character and success, two things, contradictory as they may seem, must go together, humble dependence on God, and manly reliance on self.’ If there is anything in which we need humble dependence on God in order to succeed it is in this work of His ministry. The Lord cannot use in His ministry a person who is unwilling to be used.

I am afraid there are some, even of God’s own children, who scarcely think that He is equal to themselves in tenderness, and love, and thoughtful care; and who, in their secret thoughts, charge Him with a neglect and indifference of which they would feel themselves incapable. The truth really is that His care is infinitely superior to any possibilities of human care; and that He, who counts the very hairs of our heads, and suffers not a sparrow to fall without Him, takes note of the minutest matters that can affect the lives of His children.
--Hannah Whitall Smith, The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life, 1875