When we don't like to face up to hard facts, we use soft words. We do not speak about killing a baby within the womb, but about "termination of potential life." Words are often multiplied to try to cover dark deeds.
Neal A. MaxwellRead
The soul is like a violin string: it makes music only when it is stretched.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that personal growth and fulfillment come from experiencing challenges and stretching beyond one's limits.
Neal A. Maxwell's quote illustrates the idea that our true potential and inner beauty, akin to the music produced by a violin string, emerge through hardship and stretching our capabilities. Just as a violin string must be tightly drawn to create resonant sound, individuals often need to face difficulties and push themselves beyond their comfort zones to realize their full selves and achieve greatness.
Themes
SoulGrowthChallengeMusicPotential
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about overcoming adversity.
More from Neal A. Maxwell
All quotes βThe issue for us is trusting God enough to trust also His timing. If we can truly believe He has our welfare at heart, may we not let His plans unfold as He thinks best?
Neal A. MaxwellRead
So it is that real, personal sacrifice never was placing an animal on the altar. Instead, it is a willingness to put the animal in us upon the altar and letting it be consumed! Such is the 'sacrifice unto the Lord... of a broken heart and a contrite spirit,' (D&C 59:8), a prerequisite to taking up the cross, while giving 'away all [our] sins' in order to 'know God' (Alma 22:18) for the denial of self precedes the full acceptance of Him.
Neal A. MaxwellRead
If we knew how often the obedience of others is affected by our own, and how often our stepping forth soon brings forth a whole platton of helpers, and how often our speaking forth soon creates a chorus - we would be even more ashamed of our slackess and our silence.
Neal A. MaxwellRead
Stubborn selfishness leads otherwise good people to fight over herds, patches of sand, and strippings of milk. All this results from what the Lord calls coveting "the drop," while neglecting the "more weighty matters." (D&C 117:8) Myopic selfishness magnifies a mess of pottage and makes thirty pieces of silver look like a treasure trove. In our intense acquisitiveness, we forget Him who once said, "What is property unto me?"
Neal A. MaxwellRead
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 memoryβto an audience of one!
Neal A. MaxwellRead
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What matters deafness of the ear, when the mind hears? The one true deafness, the incurable deafness, is that of the mind.
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