• “President Ezra Taft Benson testified, “Wickedness is rapidly expanding in every segment of our society…It is more highly organized, more cleverly disguised, and more powerfully promoted than ever before” Counseling with Our Councils M. Russell Ballard, Page viii (Wickedness)
  • “No longer can anyone leader, either man or woman- or for that matter, any parent- attempt to provide what is so desperately needed in the lives of our families and Church members. If we are to succeed in leading our Heavenly Father’s children toward eternal life, we must counsel together and help each other.” Counseling with Our Councils M. Russell Ballard, Page viii
  • “Many of our bishops and stake presidents are burdened with the personal problems of the Church members for whom they have stewardship. Every resource available must be enlisted to win the battle for the souls of our Father’s children. I feel strongly that the best way to help life the burden is to invite stake and ward council members to assist in finding the answers and implementing the solutions that the gospel of Jesus Christ provides.” Counseling with Our Councils M. Russell Ballard, Page ix
  • “It would be well in appropriate instances to include auxiliary leaders in the discussions aimed at finding wise solutions to our many challenges. Sister leaders are members of stake and ward councils as well as stake and ward welfare committees. Priesthood leaders cannot afford to overlook the experience, wisdom, sensitivity, and insight women bring to such deliberations.” Counseling with Our Councils M. Russell Ballard, Page ix
  • “President Howard W. Hunter: “It seems to me that there is a great need to rally the women of the Church to stand with and for the Brethren in stemming the tide of evil that surrounds us and in moving forward the work of our Savior…Obedient to him we are a majority. But only together can we accomplish the work he has given us to do and be prepared for the day when we shall see him” Counseling with Our Councils M. Russell Ballard, Page ix
  • “Church councils coordinate and schedule activities, gather information, plan future programs or events, and make decisions and resolve problems for their units….” Counseling with Our Councils M. Russell Ballard, Page 5
  • “The Brethren have worried for years about the heavy load our bishops and branch presidents carry. To me, the very best way for them to ease some of their burdens is to counsel with their councils.” Counseling with Our Councils M. Russell Ballard, Page 7
  • “If the ward mission leader understood that the auxiliaries are a resource to assist in missionary work, he could suggest to the Relief Society presidency that they visit the home of an investigator family during the time that the missionaries are teaching them the discussions and invite the mother of the family to attend a Relief Society activity or meeting. No extra meetings are required- just an alert ward mission leader who wants to enlist the help of the ward council to work with the missionaries in fellowshipping a family into the Church. Similarly, Young Men, Young Women, and primary leaders could get involved with members of the family who fall within their respective areas of responsibility. Can you see how comfortable and appropriate it would be to launch a fellowshipping process that could contribute to the conversation and retention of any man, woman, teenager, or child who is investigating the Church? If in council meetings each council member is concerned about supporting the missionaries, I believe many more of our converts would be fully fellowshipped into the Church.” Counseling with Our Councils M. Russell Ballard, Page 6-7
  • “Under the direction of the priesthood and the influence of the Holy Spirit, these councils should feature free and open discussion and clear, concise, communication. Our mutual goals and objectives should always be clearly understood. Everything we do, everything we teach, every plan we make should be focused on helping God’s children enjoys the full blessings of the gospel. In this effort, councils should support families, striving never to be in competition with them. Therefore, our council meetings are about duties and responsibilities, not turf. They provide an opportunity for the priesthood quorums and auxiliary organizations of the Church to come together in a spirit of loving cooperation to assist Heavenly Father in accomplishing His very work and glory: “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39)” Counseling with Our Councils M. Russell Ballard, Page 9-10
  • “The same is true of our family councils, only there it is a matter of parents and children joining forces in an energetic and dynamic way to ensure that there are no empty places at our eternal family tables.”Counseling with Our Councils M. Russell Ballard, Page 10
  • “The ancient moralist Aesop used to illustrate the concept by holding up a stick and asking for a volunteer among his listeners who thought he could break it. Of course, the volunteer was able to break the stick easily. Then Aesop would put two sticks of the same size together and would ask the same volunteer to break them both at the same time. It was more difficult, but usually, it could be done without too much trouble. The process was repeated, with another stick being added to the bundle each time until the volunteer was unable to break the bundle of sticks. The moral to Aesop’s illustration was simple: individually we are weak, but together we are strong.” Counseling with Our Councils M. Russell Ballard, Page 10-11
  • “It has never been God’s intention that His children stand-alone in important decisions and responsibilities. During our premortal existence, He himself called for a grand council to present His glorious plan for our eternal welfare. His Church is organized with councils at every level, beginning with the Council of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and extending right on through to our stake, ward, and family councils.” Counseling with Our Councils M. Russell Ballard, Page 11
  • “The scriptures make it clear that though our respective roles may be different and may change from time to time, all are equally important to the successful functioning of the Church. We need the priesthood quorums to assert themselves and fulfill their divinely mandated responsibilities, just as we need the Relief Society, the Young Women, the Sunday School, and the activities committees to perform their vital functions. And we need all of those inspired organizations to work together in council, assisting each other as needed, for the benefit of individuals and families.” Counseling with Our Councils M. Russell Ballard, Page 12.
  • “President Ezra Taft Benson once said: There is a principle cited in the Doctrine and Covenants which, though directed specifically to the leading quorums of the Church, applies to all councils in Church government. I quote from section 107:…. “The decisions of these quorums (or councils)…are to be made in all righteousness, in holiness, and lowliness of heart, meekness and long-suffering, and in faith, and virtue, and knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity” (D&C 107:30)….This seems to me to be the pattern by which the Lord would have us operate through priesthood councils at all levels of Church government. We must be one in all aspects of this work…for all things are spiritual to Him whom we acknowledge as Master. (“Church Government through Councils”, 88-89) Counseling with Our Councils M. Russell Ballard, Page 13-14
  • “One important way to increase the unity and effectiveness of our ward and stake councils is to remember that all council members have dual responsibility: not only do they represent the needs and perspectives of the individual organizations they have been called to lead, but each one also serves as a member of the council, sharing equally with the others a sense of stewardship for the success of the Lord’s work in that area. Thus when a subject that pertains to all ward or stake members is discussed, full consideration should be given to the views and recommendations of all council members, both the brethren and the sisters. Such an approach will result in wiser decisions and will generate greater commitment as these decisions are carried out.” Counseling with Our Councils M. Russell Ballard, Page 14
  • “When Church leaders allow those whom the Lord has called to serve with them to become part of a problem-solving team, wonderful things begin to happen. We broaden our base of experience and understanding, which can’t help but expose us to better and more insightful solutions. We energize individuals by giving them a chance to have input and to be heard. We prepare future leaders by allowing them to participate and learn. And when more people feel ownership of the problem, more people are willing to become part of the solution, which greatly enhances the possibility of success.” Counseling with Our Councils M. Russell Ballard, Page 14-15
  • “Once the appropriate council are in place and energized, leaders can begin to look beyond maintenance and meeting the needs of individuals and can find ways to make the world a better place in which to live. There’s no reason why ward council agendas could not include such subjects as gang violence, urban blight, unemployment, or abuse of any kind. Bishops could ask ward councils, “How can we make a difference in our community and in our families in these important areas?” Such broad thinking and involvement in our communities would not only be exciting and fulfilling, it would also have the benefit of being the right thing for us to do as Latter-day Saints and as Christians. In other words, one of the great strengths of the council system is the flexibility it provides to develop and implement local solutions to local problems. And as the needs and circumstances of individuals, families, and communities change over time, ward and stake councils- operating under priesthood direction and established Church guidelines- can focus their collective wisdom and the inspiration of heaven on such needs, thus blessing and lifting all who come within their influence.” Counseling with Our Councils M. Russell Ballard, Page 15