In mid 2016, I read a book by Neal A Maxwell. Shortly after, I embarked on listening to his entire BYU Speeches archive, in chronological order.
I listened to many of these talks while making the long drive from Salt Lake to Heber City. At the time I was seeing someone who lived in Heber, and each time we made plans to get together I looked forward as much to her company as I did to the drive from my home in Millcreek, up Parley’s Canyon, past Park City and back down into the neighboring valley — my quiet, private time with Neal. The drive being an hour each way, I listened to one talk there and another on the way home.
In 2017, I started listening to the entire archive of his General Conference talks.
His perspectives certainly colored this piece I wrote, where I included just one of his golden nuggets.
I thought I’d put together all the speeches and talks of this man who seemed so well to maintain proper perspective for all life’s experience. For as he once said, “This world is not the one we are preparing for.”
The first book I read was We Will Prove Them Herewith. I think it’s out of print, but you can find it on Amazon.
Will update this with all of his Ensign articles, books, etc. I have a book that isn’t on the Wikipedia books list, so I think it will take some work.
I also recommend his biography, A Disciple’s Life: The Biography of Neal A Maxwell, which I finished fall 2017.
From the Life of Neal A Maxwell
b. Jul. 6, 1926
1970 – Appointed Commissioner of Church Education
1970 – Feb. 23 – Spiritual Ecology – BYU/CES
1971 – Oct. 23 – Mormon Milieu – BYU/CES
1972 – A Time to Choose – Deseret Book
1972 – Apr. 27 – Freedom: A “Hard Doctrine” – BYU/CES
1974 – Jan. 15 – Family Perspectives – BYU/CES
1974 – Apr. 6 – Called as Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
1974 – Apr. – Response to a Call – LDS General Conference
1974 – Sep. 1 – But for a Small Moment – BYU/CES
1974 – Oct. – Why Not Now? – LDS General Conference
1975 – Apr. – The Man of Christ – LDS General Conference
1976 – Jan. 4 – Taking up the Cross – BYU/CES
1976 – Apr. – “Jesus of Nazareth, Savior and King” – LDS General Conference
1976 – Oct. 1 – Called to the Presidency of the First Quorum of the Seventy
1976 – Oct. – Notwithstanding My Weakness – LDS General Conference
1976 – Oct. 26 – Insights from My Life – BYU/CES
1977 – Nov. 8 – All Hell Is Moved – BYU/CES
1978 – Feb. – The Gospel Gives Answers to Life’s Problems – Ensign/Liahona
1978 – Apr. – The Women of God – LDS General Conference
1978 – Oct. 10 – Meeting the Challenges of Today – BYU/CES
1979 – Nov. 27 – Patience – BYU/CES
1980 – Apr. 21 – In This Time of Complexity and Challenge – BYU/CES
1980 – Oct. – The Net Gathers of Every Kind – LDS General Conference
1980 – Oct. 7 – True Believers in Christ – BYU/CES
1981 – Jul. 23 – Called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
1981 – Sep. 15 – Grounded, Rooted, Established, and Settled (Ephesians 3:17, 1 Peter 5:10) – BYU/CES
1981 – Oct. – “O, Divine Redeemer” – LDS General Conference
1982 – Apr. – “A Brother Offended” – LDS General Conference
1982 – Sep. 5 – Meekly Drenched in Destiny – BYU/CES
1982 – Oct. – “Be of Good Cheer” – LDS General Conference
1983 – Feb. 18 – Try the Virtue of the Word of God – BYU/CES
1983 – Apr. – “Shine As Lights in the World” – LDS General Conference
1983 – Oct. – Joseph, the Seer – LDS General Conference
1984 – Apr. – The Great Plan of the Eternal God – LDS General Conference
1984 – Jun. – Friend to Friend – Liahona
The subtitle of this article is “From a personal interview by Janet Peterson with Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve.”
And from this article comes this quote, which is plastered all over the internet and attributed to Elder Maxwell without proper citation — in all but one instance.
Elder Maxwell would like to give this message to the children of the Church: “It’s extremely important for you to believe in yourselves, not only for what you are now, but for what you have the power to become. Trust in the Lord as He leads you along. He has things for you to do that you won’t know about now, but that will be revealed later. If you stay close to Him, you will have some great adventures. You will live in a time when instead of just talking about prophecies that will sometime be fulfilled, many of them will actually be fulfilled. The Lord will unfold your future bit by bit.”
The internet memes and quote-spiration pages often end the quote here, although the conclusion is:
All the easy things that the Church has had to do have been done, so you’re going to live in a time of high adventure. You were brought to this earth because you can handle that time of adventure, and you will do well.
So long as Janet Peterson transcribed her notes correctly, what can we do but say this is indeed Elder Maxwell.
Kudos to Tim Tanner for tracking down and citing the Liahona source in his Aug 6, 2019 BYU-I devotional address.
1984 – Oct. – “Out of Obscurity” – LDS General Conference
1984 – Dec. 4 – If Thou Endure Well – BYU/CES
1985 – Mar. 19 – Part of Destiny – BYU-I/CES
1985 – Apr. – “Willing to Submit” – LDS General Conference
1985 – Oct. – Premortality, a Glorious Reality – LDS General Conference
1986 – Feb. 7 – Good and Evil Spoken of Among All People – BYU Management Society
- Address given at a dinner event of the BYU Management Society, Washington, D.C. Chapter.
- Only exists as two print copies — no known recording or transcript. Print copies on file at HBLL Special Collections – Americana Collection, BX 8608 .A1 no.2968.
1986 – Mar. 30 – Joseph Smith: “A Choice Seer” – BYU/CES
1986 – Apr. – “Called and Prepared from the Foundation of the World” – LDS General Conference
1986 – Oct. – “God Will Yet Reveal” – LDS General Conference
1986 – Oct. 11 – Great Answers to the Great Question – BYU/CES
1986 – Oct. 21 – “Meek and Lowly” – BYU/CES
1987 – Apr. – “Overcome … Even As I Also Overcame” – LDS General Conference
1987 – Oct. – “Yet Thou Art There” – LDS General Conference
1988 – Apr. – “For I Will Lead You Along” – LDS General Conference
1988 – Oct. – “Answer Me” – LDS General Conference
1989 – Mar. 26 – “A Wonderful Flood of Light” – BYU/CES
1989 – Apr. – Irony: The Crust on the Bread of Adversity – LDS General Conference
1989 – Oct. – “Murmur Not” – LDS General Conference
1990 – Feb. 4 – The Children of Christ – BYU/CES
1990 – Apr. – “Endure It Well” – LDS General Conference
1990 – Oct. – Put Off the Natural Man, and Come Off Conqueror – LDS General Conference
1991 – Mar. 31 – “In Him All Things Hold Together” – BYU/CES
1991 – Apr. – “Lest Ye Be Wearied and Faint in Your Minds” – LDS General Conference
1991 – Sep. 27 – On Consecration, Scholarship, and the Defense of the Kingdom (pp 12-21 in the PDF, printed as pages x-xix) – FARMS
- The version linked to above is the transcription Daniel C. Peterson published in the Interpreter in 2003. Peterson got the transcription from Matthew Roper, who was present and recorded the speech, and then transcribed it on 5 October 1991, slightly more than a week after the event. As far as anyone knows, that recording (and no others) exist.
- This speech is more commonly known by the title “Discipleship and Scholarship,” under which it was published in condensed and polished form by BYU Studies in 1992.
- That he would speak at the FARMS annual banquet in the Wilkinson Student Center at BYU is reported in the Sep 1991 FARMS newsletter, INSIGHTS, page 5.
1991 – Oct. – Repentance – LDS General Conference
1992 – Apr. – “My Servant Joseph” – LDS General Conference
1992 – Aug. 18 – The Inexhaustible Gospel – BYU/CES
1992 – Oct. – “Settle This in Your Hearts” – LDS General Conference
1993 – Apr. – “Behold, the Enemy Is Combined” (D&C 38:12) – LDS General Conference
1993 – Jul. 4 – Provo 1993 Freedom Festival Fireside – BYU/CES
1993 – Aug. 25 – Wisdom and Order – BYU/CES
1993 – Aug. 26 – Out of the Best Faculty – BYU/CES
1993 – Oct. – “From the Beginning” – LDS General Conference
1994 – Mar. 27 – “Called to Serve” – BYU/CES
1994 – Apr. – “Take Especial Care of Your Family” – LDS General Conference
1994 – Oct. – “Brightness of Hope” – LDS General Conference
1995 – Apr. – “Deny Yourselves of All Ungodliness” – LDS General Conference
1995 – Jun. – untitled – BYU 19-stake fireside held in the Marriott Center
- reported May 24, 1995 in the DesNews
- audio on file with HBLL Special Collections:
Neal A. Maxwell fireside, 1995 June 4, UA 1197 Series 1 Sub-Series 9 Item 6273, Carton: 34. Brigham Young University sound recordings, UA 1197. L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives. https://archives.lib.byu.edu/repositories/17/archival_objects/198560 Accessed October 29, 2024.
1995 – Oct. – “Swallowed Up in the Will of the Father” – LDS General Conference
1996 – Jan. 23 – “Brim with Joy” – BYU/CES
1996 – Apr. – “Becometh As a Child” – LDS General Conference
1996 – Oct. – “According to the Desire of [Our] Hearts” – LDS General Conference
1997 – Apr. – “From Whom All Blessings Flow” – LDS General Conference
1997 – Oct. – “Apply the Atoning Blood of Christ” – LDS General Conference
1998 – Jan. 4 – The Pathway of Discipleship – BYU/CES
1998 – Apr. – “Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel” – LDS General Conference
1998 – Oct. – Hope through the Atonement of Jesus Christ – LDS General Conference
1999 – Jan. 12 – Sharing Insights from My Life – BYU/CES
1999 – Apr. – “Repent of [Our] Selfishness” (D&C 56:8) – LDS General Conference
1999 – Oct. – Lessons from Laman and Lemuel – LDS General Conference
2000 – Feb. – Jesus, the Perfect Mentor – BYU/CES
2000 – Apr. – Content with the Things Allotted unto Us – LDS General Conference
2000 – Oct. – The Tugs and Pulls of the World – LDS General Conference
2001 – Apr. – “Plow in Hope” – LDS General Conference
2001 – Oct. – The Seventh Commandment:A Shield – LDS General Conference
2002 – Apr. – Consecrate Thy Performance – LDS General Conference
2002 – Oct. – Encircled in the Arms of His Love – LDS General Conference
2003 – Apr. – Care for the Life of the Soul – LDS General Conference
2003 – Oct. – How Choice a Seer! – LDS General Conference
2004 – Mar. 16 – “Free to Choose” – BYU/CES
2004 – Mar 19 – Blending Research and Revelation – adaptation of remarks made at BYU President’s Leadership Council Meetings
2004 – Apr. – Remember How Merciful the Lord Hath Been – LDS General Conference
d. July 21, 2004
Sources:
BYU Speeches by Neal A Maxwell
LDS General Conference Archive of Neal A Maxwell
More Interesting Neal A Maxwell Resources:
Maxwell Bibliography. An on-going project by Tyler Snow. Elder Maxwell’s lifetime cited works, grouped into Books, JD, HC and CHC, and then sorted by frequency of citations.
From “A” to “Z”: A is for Alliteration, Z is for Zion. By Don Duncan. 1997. (Working on converting this to a spreadsheet format.)
I love Neal A Maxwell too. I am looking forward to listening to these.
Thanks for putting this together. I have started in 1981 listening to Elder Maxwell as a new study routine and have enjoyed nearly all his talks. He has his language that I am finally understanding. I love it. It’s been some great time. I’m glad I found your site.
Jason – my pleasure. They are full of so much wisdom line after line … always something new to return to them again.
I want to study his words as a prep for Isaiah. Thank you for this.
You bet, Jen. I’m interested to hear what you learn in your study.
Thank you SO much for putting this together. I want to embark on this journey of listening to all his talks. I thought I would have to piece them all together. Then I found your site.
Hi, Laura. You’re welcome. Enjoy.
Thank you. In the Old Testament Institute manual I encountered a reference to another talk of his, one you don’t have listed. Here’s the quote, and source. I didn’t find the talk anywhere online; do you suppose you could track it down?
“Our life style must make allowance for that need to deal with reality in our own lives. In Proverbs we read: [Proverbs 15:31–32].
“The disciple of Christ needs to expect the ‘reproof of life’—and suffering—for suffering is that sweat that comes from working out our salvation. Suffering is on the agenda for each of us.” (Neal A. Maxwell, Freedom: a “Hard Doctrine,” Brigham Young University Speeches of the Year, 12 Apr. 1972, p. 4.)
Thank you, Rhonda!! Found a PDF. Adding and uploading now.
Wow! This is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Can’t wait to dive into all of these gems!
Just came across this after listening the “Spiritual Ecology”. What a great resource this is! Thank you!
That’s a good one. And you’re welcome!
This is just what I’m looking for as well. Thank you so much for sharing your hard work. Is it possible to print these talks from what you have prepared?
Hey Lisa, you’re welcome. Most of the links open versions of the talks that have the text. If they don’t, then that generally means the text isn’t available (at least from what I know from my quick searches). So you could open each and print individually. Sounds like a project for another day … making a massive PDF of all the talks in one!
My husband and I are leaving for a long drive tomorrow, and we love Elder Maxwell so much. These are a wonderful resource; I’ve downloaded all of the available MP3 files. Thank you! Now, this will be a completely uplifting drive!
You’re welcome! Have a good time.
How wonderful Brother Harward! Going through crises in the last three years, Elder Maxwell’s words, especially with Patience, Submitting to the Lord, Meek and Lowly, Trust in His Timing, have provided such comfort. I find this compilation you have garnered enthralling as I am fed by his remarkable insight and your kindness. One I did not know about is “Overcoming” which I am most anxious to listen to, as I strive to Overcome learning from Him who bestows all Gifts . . . Thank you for this Collection of so Many 🙂
It’s a good one. Enjoy.
This is a treasure! Thank you for making Elder Maxwell’s wisdom, gifts, and testimony so accessible! If you figure out how to get a copy of “Good and Evil Spoken of Among All People” online I’d love to see that too. Thanks again!
Athelia, I’ll definitely make a trip to HBLL Special Collections. I will also take a printed copy of “A Choice Seer” to make comparisons.
Nat,
Neal A. Maxwell has always been a tremendous inspiration to me since the day I joined the church 1977.
He’s the one who got me reading C.S. Lewis. All of that too.
In his April 1978 Ensign article, “The High Cost of a Value-Less Society” he used Lewis as an influence (unmentioned) that has stuck with me to this day.
Thank You for putting this all together. I’ll be recommending this page to my friends as well.
You’re welcome!
Thank you so much for this! I do often remember one of his gems and can’t find it. Now I can!!!😊
I am in the MTC and heard a comment about the series he wrote. Three books. Do you know what was meant? We were talking of the character of Christ. Thanks for any help or insight.
Hey Billie. Hmm, haven’t heard of that. Did a quick Google search and I’m not seeing a series by him. I am seeing that the Maxwell Institute had plans for a three book series. Two got published. Not sure about the third. Maybe the three-book series is the “Final Writings” packaging by Deseret Book? Combines Promise of Discipleship, Whom the Lord Loveth and Moving in His Majesty and Power.
Nat:
I am an obsessive compulsive 84 year old retired accountant who has had a fascination with Elder Maxwell’s marvelous writings since he came on the scene.
I found him a wonderful balance to the writings of Hugh Nibley.
I ran across your site as I was trying to find the genesis for his chapter/talk on Grounded, Rooted, Settled. I did not find the book with the chapter but I did find the talk. I wanted this reference for a lesson I have to teach about Elder Gary Stevenson’s talk Deceive Ne Not from October’s Conference.
Thank you.
You may be interested to know that my obsession caused me to collect and read all of his books and most if not all of his talks – conference and otherwise.
In addition I undertook to extract all of his alliterations from his works. I even sent it to his son to share it with his father if he thought it worthwhile. You may recall he (the son) had produced a book of his quotes. Elder Maxwell was kind enough to send me a thank you note and an autographed copy of the quote book. I treasure that along with al of his writings.
Since we are getting ready for the Christmas season, I will share one of my favorite NAM quotes – “Each of us is an Inn keeper who will decide if we have room in our Inn for the Savior.
I am 84 years old and my wife and I are trying hard to downsize for when we have to move to something smaller but I think my two feet plus of Elder Maxwell’s writings will always find room in any accommodation or room we have.
Don Duncan
Don, a pleasure to hear from you. Do you have a digital version of his alliterations? Would love to see that. I’ll email you. There is a chapter in We Will Prove Them Herewith that is titled “Grounded, Rooted, Established & Settled.”
Merry Christmas.
I have always enjoyed his talks. I just finished his biography. It mentions a talk give by him to the BYU Mgmt. Society in Washington DC. back on February 7, 1986 on the Prophet Joseph Smith. I would love to listen/read it, even if it is only a hard copy. Don’t know if it is even available.
Are you in Utah? Looks like it is called “Good and Evil Spoken of Among All People” and there is a copy in Special Collections at the HBLL. I’ll see what the chances are of getting my hands on it. I bet it is similar to A Choice Seer which he delivered a few weeks later in March at BYU.
Wish I was in Utah. I would be over there. I live in Los Angeles. I followed the link you sent and, yes, it appears that there is a written and maybe a recorded version. I don’t anything about Special Collections, how easy or difficult it is to get anything, but having a copy of the transcript would be fantastic. A long time ago I nicknamed Neal Maxwell Mr. M to the 5th power (Man of Many Mighty Marvelous Metaphors). Good Luck in trying to get it. I’m sure many will appreciate the effort.
Mike Burnham
lol, that’s good. Thank you.
Nat:
Just wondering if you got my email with my alliterations document attached and were able to open it and read it?
Don Duncan
Don, I did thank you. The first 95 pages or so are in pretty good shape and then there are about 500 pages of jibberish. It looks like you lost the original file. My Word says “Recovered.” What program did you make this on originally?
As far as I know it was a Word document. My printed copy is only 78 pages and ends with “Z” Zigging and zagging.
My computer knowledge and skills are boarder line,
There is an introduction – pages 1-2
The alliterations pages 3-70
Epilogue – page – 70
Top twenty six – page 71
The Favoured Few – pages 72-78
References Cited – pages 1-23
References addendum – page 24
Addendum book 29 -2 pages unnumbered.
That is around 95 pages and maybe the total document.
I will try will have a look at the flash disc and see if it gives me any more information. and let you know.
What a terrific resource – thank you for putting this together. Have you been able to locate/scan a copy of “Good and Evil Spoken of Among All People” and “A Choice Seer”? I am a completist and now have everything Maxwell wrote other than those two talks. Thanks!
Hey, Tyler. Glad you’re finding it helpful. “A Choice Seer” is listed/linked above … haven’t yet made my trip to HBLL for “Good and Evil…” but I will this winter.
Elder Maxwell gave a presentation at the annual FARMS banquet, held September 27, 1991 at BYU. It was reported in the FARMS newsletter, INSIGHTS.
Hoping it appears either as a video or transcript!
Thank you for your great contribution!
Warren Aston
Warren, found the FARMS newsletter announcing his speech, a BYU Studies condensed version and the full transcript, which Daniel C. Peterson published in 2003. All updated with notes and links at the fall 1991 point. Thanks for the tip!
I first met Neal A. Maxwell at his 1983 talk to the U of U Institute on Education of our Desires. Those of us in attendance lined up to shake his hand. Then I used to play tennis next to him on Monday mornings at the SL Country Club. He usually played doubles in those days. He had this old Mercedes-Benz and if we left at the same time he would insist I go first. Always a disciple of Christ. He signed his quote book for me. An associate of mine told me that Neal wasn’t always so humble. His stint in D.C. proved to be a refining experience for him, both in gentility and patience, the latter of which he admitted to struggle with. I have found that revelation of his personal life encouraging. It gave me hope that I was not lost. Otherwise, NAM seemed too far beyond the rest of us mortals.
Van, that is a set of precious memories. Thank you for sharing. I look forward to meeting him as you have. For now, working on enduring well.
Can somebody please tell me if the book, “Meek and Lowly,” is any different from the talk given at BYU if the same title?? I see a sample from Deseret bookshelf and the sample looks identical. Yet it says it is 127 pages… meekness is one of my favorite topics that have been life changing and I love his two talks on meekness. If the book is different, I would surely buy it. Thanks!
Dave, sorry – been sitting on your comment since May. Just noticed I hadn’t approved it. Hope someone helps with an answer.
Hey brother Harward! So you are a triathlete and a Neal A Maxwell scholar? In other words, you pick the BEST and HARDEST things to pursue to excellence! 👍 I’m sure our dear friend and brother Neal already knows you and LOVES you from LONG before this life. Thank you so much for your valiant effort to put all of these talks in one place for easy access and learning. I am an ER physician and work in rural Minnesota, traveling from Layton Utah, and I listen to the talks you have posted very often when traveling and also during shifts when it is relatively slower. God bless you for your righteous efforts which bless so much, all of us who LOVE Neal A Maxwell.
Brother Ted, thank you so much. Wow I hadn’t ever thought of having a personal connection to Neal in the way that you’ve suggested it. You are probably right, that he’s connected with members of my family on the other side and aware of people here who continue to appreciate and grow from his words. Glad you are getting a lot of use from this index, and good on you for committing all that travel time to serve people in an area that needs your skills. Merry Christmas 🎄
Listening to Neal Maxwell is music to my soul. Thank you for this list.
you’re welcome
I first became acquainted with Elder Maxwell while on my mission in late 1978 through a District Leader whose family were friends of the Maxwells. The DL had a cassette tape of “Then All Hell Is Moved” (BYU Devotional Nov 8 1977) which you can imagine, as a missionary was relevant and inspiring.
I copied the tape and listened to it over the years but subsequently it went missing. In 1999, I was able to obtain a transcript from Church HQ when on a General Conference visit to Salt Lake City. It is wonderful that the internet makes these resources now so readily available anywhere in the world.
However while the audio of this address is indelibly etched in my mind and recalled each time I read the words (alliteration has a way of doing that), I am wondering if there is an audio file of it available somewhere. My children and grandchildren need to hear this classic speech which is as relevant today as it was 45 years ago.
Stephen – thanks for sharing great memories. Finding the audio or video of “All Hell is Moved” would be a real treasure. I’m not aware of a source atm.
Neal A Maxwell was just 24 years old when he was asked by my mother’s bishop, Bishop Rawson, to teach her the gospel so she could gain a testimony of the gospel and serve a mission. Neal taught her (Elouise Griffin) and he changed her life (and mine as she met my father and brought him to the waters of baptism on her mission). She said he taught her from a book he wrote called The Set of the Sail. Have you heard of it?
I haven’t but might it be this one?
Than you for let us share this great work.
Does anybody knows what Elder Maxwell talk mentioned the 4 ways of learning, the 4 Es, please thank you for any info
Guillermo, you’re welcome. The 4 Es are in this Feb 1978 Ensign/Liahona article: “The Gospel Gives Answers to Life’s Problems.”
Nat, I remember you from BYU (though more like Nate then?) but don’t know if you would remember me. Anyway, I came across this quote, which was attributed to Neal A. Maxwell, but I cannot seem to find where/when he said/wrote it, or if any apostle said it for that matter. Your thoughts? “No attacks on the Church will be more bitter or more persistent than those made in the Salt Lake Valley. No taunts will be more shrill than those of apostates and excommunicants. In that valley and in that state of Utah, Church members will be accused of the ‘crime’ of being a majority! Some clever defectors will imitate their model, Satan, and will try to take others over the side with them. Elsewhere, you will encounter the same sort of snobbery that gave rise to ‘can any good thing come out of Nazareth?'” –Neal A. Maxwell, 1977
Andrew – can’t piece together which Andrew you are from your last initial and email, but good to hear from you and thanks for this quote. I don’t remember ever reading it, so I can’t point to a source right now. Will keep it up here and hopefully one of us will come across it in time.
btw, never went by Nate, but plenty of people make the mistake. Happy Thanksgiving.
Nat! After many internet searches through the years have led me to your site multiple times, today I decided it’s time to make a comment. Thanks so much for taking all the time you have to put this list together. It’s an incredible resource, and so helpful for the many who love him and find learning and peace in his words. The man is a genius and his talks have been my salve many times, especially during my most difficult trials.
As an added bonus— I am glad I took the time to learn names of all the students in my Comms 101 class way back when in 2010. It’s fun to see you doing great things. God bless, I hope that all is well!
Thanks for chiming in. Happy to hear you’re finding value in all this. I took Comms101 from Tom Robinson fall 2004. I was on campus Jan-Apr 2010 though! That semester I had PR capstone and media advocacy.
Nat, thanks for posting this. I became interested in Elder Maxwell’s works on my mission but became a more serious student of his talks and works after returning home in 2017 and struggling with adjusting to the “real world”. I found Elder Maxwell’s perspectives helped me frame my life and the world more clearly as well as strengthened my testimony of Jesus Christ. His life and the quality and content of his talks are so fascinating that I always come back to him because I learn something everytime I reread or hear a talk.
Amen, Cameron. As I shared in the original post, listening to his talks in 2016 really grounded me in a period of life transition. Glad his words continue to help you on your journey too.
I didn’t realize until seeing this list that one of my favorite Elder Maxwell quotes is from a brief talk not listed here. It would be his penultimate talk.
Neal A Maxwell, “Blending Research and Revelation,” remarks at BYU, 19 Mar 2004.
This is the talk where he said disciple-scholars need to be able to handle both trowel and musket, which later apostles have since quoted.
You can download the PDF here (click on “Viewer,” then press the download icon):
https://slidelegend.com/blending-research-and-revelation-radio-beloved_59df68891723dd0a03b95ab2.html
If you’re unable to download it, let me know.
Wow, thank you, Nathan. Adding this to the list now.
Oops… must have been a different class. I TA’d for Griffiths and Robinson multiple times, must have been one of those classes. I definitely remember your name. Again, thanks for the resource.
Did you TA for Tom fall 2004? Class was in the HFAC that semester. BRMH was under construction. Curtis Brown — record setting running back — was in our class. Every Monday morning he’d come in late and we’d stand up and cheer for his weekend yardage gains.
Haha! Pretty sure that was the class because Robinson was in the HFAC for it, and the cheering sounds vaguely familiar. And my last name was Anderson then.
For any Elder Maxwell fans who also enjoy podcasts, I have started a podcast called “Neal A. Maxwell Talks.” I plan to upload 1-2 of his talks to the podcast each week. It’s a great way to listen to Elder Maxwell on the go, and to make sure you listen to every talk he gave which is available in audio format. Here is the link – available in Overcast and Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/neal-a-maxwell-talks/id1667114707
Thank you sooo much for this! Have long been a fan of Elder Maxwell and his brilliance! This is the perfect spot for me.
Where can I find his talk about the terrible arithmetic of the atonement?
Willing to Submit, Apr 1985
Hi Nat,
I heard a talk many years ago where Elder Maxwell talks about Christ over the veil and compared it to waves coming to the shoreline and the momentum of his spirit like a huge wave easily broke through the breakers.
Do you know this talk?
Richard, poked around a bit today but haven’t found what you are describing. Which words are you certain of?
Only link (to MP3, Ben Crowder’s site) I can find now for Part of Destiny from March 19, 1985 is defunct. Perhaps at his most prophetic…
Found it! See above for link to MP3.
This is an amazing resource! I think he spoke one time about…when we are just walking along, there are these “thought bubbles” or “energy balls” that we run into. Maybe one could be, “oh that candy bar looks good, I could easily just pick it up and no one would know.” What do we do with those thoughts? Do you remember reading something like that in one of his works? Thank you for your response.
Hi Trudi. That’s a good question. Nothing comes to mind immediately and from a few minutes of searching I didn’t find it. But if I come across it I’ll come back and post here. Glad you found this page helpful.
This quote is attributed to Neal A. Maxwell. I would love to find an original source — a book or talk? “It is extremely important for you to believe in yourselves not only for what you are now but for what you have the power to become. Trust in the Lord as He leads you along. He has things for you to do that you won’t know about now but that will unfold later. If you stay close to Him, You will have some great adventures. You will live in a time where instead of sometimes being fulfilled, many of them will actually be fulfilled. The Lord will unfold your future bit by bit.”
Hi, Kay.
I was convinced it was made up — an amalgam of other talks and phrases. But, it is legit. At least if Janet Peterson transcribed her notes from her interview of Elder Maxwell accurately.
Quoted in Friend to Friend, Liahona – June 1984
Went online this morning wondering if I could find a repository of every Elder Maxwell talk and I’m glad to have found this and just as glad to see who the compiler of such a treasure trove is!
Brigham! Good to hear from you dude. I wish words flowed out of me as eloquently as they do from you. For now – I relegate my publication efforts to exhaustive lists 😄
Elder Maxwell spoke at a BYU fireside on June 4, 1995. I loved it so much that I wrote about it in my journal, so I wanted to reread our listen to it. I can’t find anything but a Deseret News announcement about it. Do you happen to know how to find it? Thank you!
Sherri, your journal records are right. Thanks for the tip. This one is new to me. DesNews reported it ahead of time, and HBLL Special Collections has the audio. I’ve requested access.