Elder Neal A. Maxwell

Quotes By Elder Neal A. Maxwell

Elder Neal A. Maxwell served as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1981–2004. Among others, Elder Maxwell’s most prominent books are All These Things Shall Give Thee Experience, Not My Will, but Thine and the Neal A. Maxwell Quote Book. Maxwell was known for his great mind and ability to articulate his thoughts elegantly.

“(Cheerfulness is) a deep trust in God’s unfolding purposes—not only for all of mankind, but for each of us as individuals.”

Elder Neal A. Maxwell | “But a Few Days” (address given to CES Religious Educators, Sept. 10, 1982), 4.

Topics: Attitude, Happiness

“The costs of discipleship cannot be paid at wholesale rates nor in one lump sum.”

Elder Neal A. Maxwell | Men and Women of Christ, p. 24

Topics: Discipleship

“If we will keep our covenants, our covenants will keep us spiritually safe.”

Elder Neal A. Maxwell | Ensign, May 1987, p. 71

Topics: Being Spiritual & Spirituality, Maturity, Ordinances

“I believe it was George Macdonald who reminded us that the only door out of the dungeon of self is the love of one’s neighbor. How proud we ought to be, in a quiet way, that we are members of the church of the most selfless being who ever lived. How proud we ought to be to belong to a church that makes specific demands of us and gives us specific things to do and marks the strait and narrow way, lest we fall off one side of the precipice or the other. I am so grateful that God loves us enough to teach us specifically. Had secularists written the Ten Commandments, they might have said, “Thou shalt not be a bad person.” Note what the Ten Commandments say: “Thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not covet, thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, thou shalt not commit adultery,” and so on. The gospel of Jesus Christ is specific because God cares specifically for each of us and, caring for us, will mark the way carefully lest we fall out of happiness.

“A vague creed is fitted only for a vague God. We have a Father who loves us specifically and gives us things to do and, because he loves us, will cause us, at times, to have our souls stretched and to be fitted for a better world by coping with life in this world.

“May God bless us with that kind of commitment, with the capacity to be serious disciples and to accept both the agendum that he has prepared for each of us because he loves us and the curriculum, prepared for each of us, which he has customized to teach us the things we most need to know, because he loves us.”

Elder Neal A. Maxwell | “But For a Small Moment,” BYU Fireside, September 1, 1974

Topics: Discipleship

“Many in the world hold back from making the ‘leap of faith’ because they have already jumped to some other conclusions — often the conclusions of Korihor, which are: God never was nor ever will be; there is not a redeeming Christ; man cannot know the future; man cannot know of that which he cannot see; whatsoever a man does is no crime; and death is the end. (See Alma 30:13-18.) The number of modern-day adherents to the Korihor conclusions will grow.”

Elder Neal A. Maxwell | “The Inexhaustible Gospel,” Ensign, April 1993, p. 71

Topics: Faith, Jesus Christ, Knowledge, Secularism (Worldliness)

“True faith is not to be brought about by overwhelming and intimidating intervention from God”

Elder Neal A. Maxwell | “Not My Will, But Thine.” Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1988.

Topics: Faith, Miracles, Work

“When the time comes, young men, make your career choices. Know that whether one is a neurosurgeon, forest ranger, mechanic, farmer, or teacher is a matter of preference not of principle. While those career choices are clearly very important, these do not mark your real career path. Instead, brethren, you are sojourning sons of God who have been invited to take the path that leads home. There, morticians will find theirs is not the only occupation to become obsolete. But the capacity to work and work wisely will never become obsolete. And neither will the ability to learn. Meanwhile, my young brethren, I have not seen any perspiration-free shortcuts to the celestial kingdom; there is no easy escalator to take us there.”

Elder Neal A. Maxwell | “Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel”

Topics: Career

“This is a gospel of great expectations, but God’s grace is sufficient for each of us if we remember that there are no instant Christians.”

Elder Neal A. Maxwell

Topics: Christian, Conversion, Gospel, Grace, Patience

“Now may I speak . . . to those buffeted by false insecurity, who, though laboring devotedly in the Kingdom, have recurring feelings of falling forever short. . . This feeling of inadequacy is . . . normal. There is no way the Church can honestly describe where we must yet go and what we must yet do without creating a sense of immense distance. . . .This is a gospel of grand expectations, but God’s grace is sufficient for each of us.”

Elder Neal A. Maxwell | “Notwithstanding My Weakness,” Ensign, November 1976

Topics: Grace, Jesus Christ

“You and I cannot really expect to glide through life . . . naively petitioning, ‘Lord, give me experience but not grief, a deeper appreciation of happiness but not deeper sorrow, joy in comfort but not in pain, more capacity to overcome but not more opposition; and please do not let me ever feel perplexed while on thy errand. Then let me come quickly and dwell with thee and fully share thy joy.”

Elder Neal A. Maxwell

Topics: Mortality, Trials