Standing for Something: 10 Neglected Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts and Homes

Of Standing for Something, President Hinckley said, “I hope to accomplish some good in reaching out to people who may not be interested in our theology but would be interested in our position and stance on some of these values that are of everlasting benefit to this nation and people across the world.”

Some would say we are a nation in crisis. Our leaders are on trial, our teenagers are turning to violence and drugs, and families are splintering around us. Yet, according to Gordon B. Hinckley, president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, one cannot lose hope. The solution lies not within our governments, schools, or symbols of popular culture, but rather within ourselves, our families and our faith.

President Hinckley stresses the significance of values such as civility, forgiveness and integrity in our daily lives. Drawing on the lessons of history as well as anecdotes from his own life, he creates a thoughtful and provocative discourse on the state of our society and our responsibility to one another.

At once masterful and illuminating, Standing for Something: 10 Neglected Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts and Homes is a work for our time, a reflection on one man's long and productive life. It does not dwell on the values of the past; rather, it provides a moral and spiritual map toward a brighter future.

The Ten Virtues

Love: The Lodestar of Life

"Love is the only force that can erase the differences between people or bridge the chasms of bitterness."

Where There Is Honesty, Other Virtues Will Follow

"In our day, those found in dishonesty aren't put to death, but something within them dies. Conscience chokes, character withers, self-respect vanishes, integrity dies. How cheaply some men and women sell their good names!"

Making a Case for Morality

"Both experience and divine wisdom dictate that moral virtue and cleanliness pave the way that leads to strength of character, peace of mind and heart, and happiness in life."

Our Fading Civility

"Civility carries with it the essence of courtesy, politeness, and consideration of others. All of the education and accomplishments in the world will not count for much unless they are accompanied by marks of gentility, of respect for others, of going the extra mile."

Learning: 'With All Thy Getting Get Understanding'

"No matter how old we become, we can acquire knowledge and use it. We can gather wisdom and profit from it. We can grow and progress and improve — and, in the process, strengthen the lives of those within our circle of influence."

The Twin Virtues of Forgiveness and Mercy

"Hatred always fails and bitterness always destroys. Are there virtues more in need of application in our day, a time marked by litigious proceedings and heated exchanges, than those of forgiving, forgetting, and extending mercy to those who may have wronged us or let us down?"

Thrift and Industry: Getting Our Houses in Order

"I commend to all the virtues of industry and thrift, which I believe go hand in hand. The labor and thrift of the people make a nation, a community, or a family strong. Work and thrift make the family independent."

Gratitude: A Sign of Maturity

"Gratitude is the beginning of civility, of decency and goodness, of a recognition that we cannot afford to be arrogant. We should walk with the knowledge that we will need help every step of the way."

Optimism in the Face of Cynicism

"My plea is that we stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight. I am suggesting that as we go through life, we 'accentuate the positive.' I am asking that we look a little deeper for the good, that we still our voices of insult and sarcasm, that we more generously compliment and endorse virtue and effort."

Faith: Our Only Hope

"Great buildings were never constructed on uncertain foundations. Great causes were never brought to success by vacillating leaders. Faith has always been, and always must be, at the root of any meaningful practice and endeavor."