Quentin L. Cook on replacing darkness with light

Elder Quentin L. Cook (1940- ) was called as a Seventy in 1996, then as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 2007.

"Freedom and light have never been easy to attain or maintain. Since the War in Heaven, the forces of evil have used every means possible to destroy agency and extinguish light. The assault on moral principles and religious freedom has never been stronger.

"As Latter-day Saints, we need to do our best to preserve light and protect our families and communities from this assault on morality and religious freedom.

"An ever-present danger to the family is the onslaught of evil forces that seem to come from every direction. While our primary effort must be to seek light and truth, we would be wise to black out from our homes the lethal bombs that destroy spiritual development and growth.... These evil forces remove light and hope from the world. The level of decadence is accelerating. If we do not black out evil from our homes and lives, do not be surprised if devastating moral explosions shatter the peace which is the reward for righteous living. Our responsibility is to be in the world but not of the world.

"In addition, we need to greatly increase religious observance in the home. Weekly family home evening and daily family prayer and scripture study are essential. We need to introduce into our homes content that is 'virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy' (Articles of Faith 13). If we make of our homes holy places that shelter us from evil, we will be protected from the adverse consequences that the scriptures have foretold."

- Quentin L. Cook, "Let There Be Light!", Ensign, Nov. 2010, pp. 27-30
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Elder Cook speaks of the great conflict that has been going on "since the War in Heaven," a struggle of "light and truth" against those that would "destroy agency and extinguish light." He gives two items of counsel:

• Do all we can to "black out evil from our homes and lives" — provide appropriate defenses against the "lethal bombs that destroy spiritual development and growth"
• Enhance the positive presence of light as we "greatly increase religious observance in the home."

The invitation of this discourse, "Let there be light!", is a wonderful reminder of the critical importance we have to "make of our homes holy places that shelter us from evil."