1. Brigham Young “ Do you think there is calamity abroad now among the people? Not much. All we have yet heard and all we have experienced is scarcely a preface to the sermon that is going to be preached. When the testimony of the Elders ceases to be given, and the Lord says to them, ‘ Come home; I will now preach my own sermons to the nations of the earth, ’ all you now know can scarcely be called a preface to the sermon that will be preached with fire and sword, tempests, earthquakes, hail, rain, thunders and lightnings, and fearful destruction. You will hear of magnificent cities, now idolized by the people, sinking in the earth, entombing the inhabitants. The sea will heave itself beyond it bounds, engulfing mighty cities. Famine will spread over the nations, and nation will rise up against nation, kingdom against kingdom, and states against states, in our own country and in foreign lands. ” (Journal of Discourses, 8:123, July 15, 1860. (See also D&C 43:21-26)

2. Harold B. Lee “ In my mind there is grave doubt that any man can abide the day of the Second Coming who is not willing and able to follow the leadership of these men whom the Lord has set to counsel and guide us in this day. ” (Conference Report, October 1941, p. 114)

3. Bruce R. McConkie “ The Nephites adjusted their calendar so as to begin a new dating era with the birth of Jesus; and according to their chronology, the storms and the darkness and the crucifixion came to pass on the fourth day of the first month of the thirty-fourth year. (3 Ne. 8:5) Then ‘ in the ending ’ of that year (3 Ne. 10:18-19), several months after the ascension on Olivet, Jesus ministered personally among the Nephites for many hours on many days. ” (Mortal Messiah, vol. 4, pp. 306-307)

4. Joseph Fielding Smith “ Mormon states that there was a great multitude gathered together round about the temple in Bountiful. It seems perfectly clear that this great gathering was immediately after the close of the dreadful period of darkness. The fact that the multitude had gathered at the temple and were pointing out to each other the great changes that had occurred is evidence that this was an event immediately following the resurrection of our Lord. … it is contrary to reason that Jesus would make the Nephites and Lamanites, who had been faithful, wait for one whole year before he would make his appearance. ” (Answers to Gospel Questions, 4:24-29)

5. Ezra Taft Benson “ Another face of pride is contention. Arguments, fights, unrighteous dominion, generation gaps, divorces, spouse abuse, riots, and disturbances all fall into this category of pride. Contention in our families drives the Spirit of the Lord away. It also drives many of our family members away. Contention ranges from hostile spoken words to worldwide conflicts. The scriptures tell us that ‘ only by pride cometh contention ’ (Proverbs 13:10; 28:25). ” (Conference Report, April 1989, p. 5)

6. Bruce R. McConkie “ Contention and division are of the devil, agreement and unity are of God.... Hence, there is no occasion to debate, to argue, to contend, to champion one cause as against another. Those who have the Spirit do not hang doggedly to a point of doctrine or philosophy for no other reason than to come off victorious in a disagreement. ” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3:105)