The Tongue of Angels

By human nature, we are prideful; we need to be right, we need to prove to others that our ideas and ways of thinking are right. We feel the need to correct others when they aren't perfect and point out others' flaws. Everyone is victim to this mentality to some degree or another. Some are better at controlling their words and others are not, but each one of us can become better at loving one another in word and in deed. I know that sometimes words just come out, words that we don't mean or that we immediately regret, it is the natural man in each of us, the natural mand that we must put off in order to become more Christlike and return to God (see Mosiah 3:19; 1 Corinthians 2:19).

This week's article is entitled, "The Tongue of Angels" by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (1940-present) of the quorum of the twelve apostles. He said, "Our words, like our deeds, should be filled with faith and hope and charity." Actions speak louder than words, but perhaps words leave a longer-lasting impression for good or for ill. Elder Holland contrasts the extremes of what our words can do, and urges each of us to pay a little more attention to what we are saying to our loved ones and those around us.

Elder Holland was called as an apostle 23 June 1994. I love hearing Elder Holland speak because his voice adds so much to that which he teaches. This talk and each of his talks are more powerful when you listen to them, so here is the link to the video from the April 2007 General Conference in which this talk was given. The link directs you to the list of talks from the April 2007 General Conference, you can click the appropriate media format that your computer supports from the right columns. Also, here is the link for translations into other languages.