Marvin J. Ashton Quotes

It takes personal sacrifice to communicate when conditions are right for the other person-during the meal preparation, after a date, a hurt, a victory, a disappointment, or when someone wants to share a confidence. One must be willing to forego personal convenience to invest time in establishing a firm foundation for family communication. When communication in the family seems to be bogging down, each individual should look to himself for the remedy.

Leaders on every level should be primarily interested in rendering compassionate caring for others.

God has given each of us one or more special talents....It is up to each of us to search for and build upon the gifts which God has given.

Financial peace of mind is not determined by how much we make, but is dependent upon how much we spend!

We should teach, particularly ourselves, that nobody is a nobody. We are someone, and with God's help we can accomplish all things.

Greatness is best measured by how well an individual responds to the happenings in life that appear totally unfair, unreasonable, and undeserved. Sometimes we are inclined to put up with a situation rather than endure. To endure is to bear up under, to stand firm against, to suffer without yielding, to continue to be, or to exhibit the state or power of lasting.

You owe it to yourself to keep fit. No matter how busy or how involved you are, you should have some type of physical program to keep the body in tune.

Blessed is he or she who avoids being offended.

Sometimes when family members least deserve love, they need it most. Love is not appropriately expressed in threats, accusations, expressions of disappointment, or retaliation. Real love takes time, patience, help, and continuing performances.

...Many of us are perpetual reactors. We let other people determine our actions and attitudes. We let other people determine whether we will be rude or gracious, depressed or elated, critical or loyal, passive or dedicated.

Young people are going to go to someone, somewhere. And we had better see that that 'someone' is us when the opportunity is ours, for there will come a time when we will wish they would come, and do we know but that the interruption we now impatiently put off may be the most important thing we could be doing at this particular time?

Progression and achievement belong to those who have learned to use the opportunity of now. Our strides of today will determine our locations tomorrow.

Where you have been is not nearly as important as where you are and where you're going.

The best and most clear indicator that we are progressing spiritually and coming unto Christ is the way we treat other people.

True happiness is not made in getting something. True happiness is becoming something. This can be done by being committed to lofty goals. We cannot become something without commitment.

The direction in which we are moving is more important than where we are at the moment. Goal setting should cause us to stretch as we make our way.

Being of good cheer makes it possible for us to turn all of our sunsets into sunrises.

Resentment and anger are not good for the soul. They are foul things.

Adaptability cushions the impact of change or disappointment.

True love is a process. True love requires personal action.

If we would know true love and understanding one for another, we must realize that communication is more than a sharing of words. It is the wise sharing of emotions, feelings, and concerns. It is the sharing of oneself totally.

Lying damages others. Lying subtly permits us to destroy ourselves as we are caught in the snare and shatter our own self-image and credibility. Freedom from deceit and lying improves self and gives all of us peace of mind.

As children of God we are somebody. He will build us, mold us, and magnify us if we will but hold our heads up, our arms out, and walk with him. What a great blessing to be created in his image and know of our true potential in and through him! What a great blessing to know that in his strength we can do all things!

The difference between those who are committed and those who are not is the difference between the words want and will.

Ugly reports and conversations are always available to those who would promote the sordid and sensational. None of us are yet perfect. We each have failings that aren't terribly difficult to detect especially if that is the aim.

When a mother asked her small child how he fell out of bed, he answered, "Because I wasn't in far enough." Let me just say in passing that it has been my experience that most people who fall out of the Church do so because they were not in far enough.

The discerning realize that it is not realistic to expect perfection in others when none of us is perfect...Meaningful progress can be made only when all of us can cast the motes out of our own eyes, leave judgment to our Father in Heaven, and lose ourselves in righteous living.

Enduring, or carrying on, is not just a matter of tolerating circumstances and hanging in there, but of pressing forward.

God grant to all of us the power and strength to be people of integrity, and the insight and wisdom to avoid being led into the snares of the dishonest.

Good cheer is a state of mind or mood that promotes happiness or joy... With God’s help, good cheer permits us to rise above the depressing present or difficult circumstances. It is a process of positive reassurance and reinforcement. It is sunshine when clouds block the light.

As children of God we are somebody. He will build us, mold us, and magnify us if we will but hold our heads up, our arms out, and walk with him.

Tact is rubbing out another's mistakes, not rubbing them in.

Some think the only way to get even, to get attention or advantage, or to win is to bash people. This kind of behavior is never appropriate. Oftentimes character and reputation and almost always self-esteem are destroyed under the hammer of this vicious practice.

None of us need one more person bashing or pointing out where we have failed or fallen short. Most of us are already well aware of the areas in which we are weak. What each of us does need is family, friends, employers, and brothers and sisters who support us, who have the patience to teach us, who believe in us, and who believe we’re trying to do the best we can, in spite of our weaknesses. What ever happened to giving each other the benefit of the doubt? What ever happened to hoping that another person would succeed or achieve? What ever happened to rooting for each other?

As adults, if our top priorities are constantly directed toward the acquisition of more and better worldly goods, it will not take long to increase our love in those directions. The purchase of a larger house or a nicer car or a more expensive boat may cause us to sacrifice our resources and develop an unwise love for these symbols of success and pleasure. We learn to love that which we serve, and we serve that which we love.

It is a happy day when we come to know that with God's help, nothing is impossible for us.

Be the one who nurtures and builds. Be the one who has an understanding and a forgiving heart one who looks for the best in people. Leave people better than you found them.

We often equate charity with visiting the sick, taking in casseroles to those in need, or sharing our excess with those who are less fortunate. But really, true charity is much, much more. Real charity is not something you give away; it is something that you acquire and make a part of yourself. And when the virtue of charity becomes implanted in your heart, you are never the same again.

If you have self-respect, you will take satisfaction in being well groomed and will not allow yourself to perform shabbily. You will continue to work toward high standards and goals to serve others, to continue and to practice self-discipline. You will not compromise your standards or beliefs.

Adversity will surface in some form in every life. How we prepare for it, how we meet it, makes the difference. We can be broken by adversity, or we can become stronger. The final result is up to the individual'.

How often have we ourselves said or have heard others exclaim in times of crisis or trouble, 'I just don't know where to turn'? If we will just use it, there is a gift available to all of us-the gift of looking to God for direction. Here is an avenue of strength, comfort, and guidance.

A friend in the true sense is not a person who passively nods approval of our conduct or ignores improper behavior. A friend is a person who cares.

We live in a complex world. There are many forces calling out, 'Love me.' A sure way to set our guidelines for that which we choose to serve and learn to love is to follow the admonition of Joshua: 'As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Worthiness is a process, and perfection is an eternal trek. We can be worthy to enjoy certain privileges without being perfect.

We need to remove unworthy from our vocabulary and replace it with hope and work.

Often our self-esteem is bruised by criticism.

If we could look into each other’s hearts and understand the unique challenges each of us faces, I think we would treat each other much more gently, with more love, patience, tolerance, and care.

Do not allow yourselves to be made to feel inadequate or frustrated because you cannot do everything others seem to be accomplishing. Only you and your Father in Heaven know your needs, strengths, and desires. Around this knowledge your personal course must be charted and your choices made.