Divine Attributes of
Jesus Christ:
Virtue
Prayerfully study this
material and seek to know what to share. How will understanding the divine
attributes of the Savior increase your faith in Him and bless those you watch
over through visiting teaching
This is part of a series of Visiting Teaching Messages featuring
divine attributes of the Savior.
“Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy
confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the
priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven” (D&C 121:45).
What is virtue? President James E. Faust (1920–2007) said:
“Virtue in its fuller sense encompasses all traits of righteousness that help
us form our character.”1 President
Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) added: “Love of God is the root of all
virtue, of all goodness, of all strength of character.”2
Of the relationship between women and virtue, Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of
the Twelve Apostles said: “Women bring with them into the world a certain
virtue, a divine gift that makes them adept at instilling such qualities as
faith, courage, empathy, and refinement in relationships and in
cultures. …
“Sisters, of all your associations, it is your relationship with God, your Heavenly Father,
who is the source of your moral power, that you must always put first in your
life. Remember that Jesus’s power came through His single-minded devotion to
the will of the Father. … Strive to be that kind of disciple of the Father
and the Son, and your influence will never fade.”3
Additional Scriptures
From the Scriptures
Today, virtuous women,
full of faith, reach out to the Savior. In Luke 8 we read of a woman
who had an issue of blood for 12 years that could not be healed. She sought
healing when she “came behind [Christ], and touched the border of his garment:
and immediately her issue of blood [stopped]. … And Jesus said, Somebody
hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue4 is gone out of
me.” This virtuous faithful woman fell down before Him, declaring “unto him
before all the people” that “she had touched him” and “was healed immediately.
And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee
whole” (see Luke 8:43–48; see also 6:17–19).
Through His virtue,5 Christ can heal,
enable, strengthen, comfort, and cheer when we choose with courage and faith to
reach out to Him.
Consider This
How does virtue empower
and strengthen us?
Notes
James E. Faust, “The Virtues of Righteous
Daughters of God,” Liahona, May 2003, 108.
Gordon B.
Hinckley, “Excerpts from Recent Addresses of President Gordon B.
Hinckley,” Ensign, Apr. 1996, 73.
D. Todd
Christofferson, “The Moral Force of Women,” Liahona, Nov.
2013, 29, 31.Virtue has power (see Mark 5:30).
In Guide to the Scriptures, “Priesthood” is defined as “the authority and
power that God gives to man to act in all things for the salvation of man” (D&C 50:26–27).
