Prophet with a Creed.....and the name is!.......... (drumroll)

President George Albert Smith!!!! 

Before George Albert Smith became President of the Church, he struggled with health issues. He spent several months in St. George, Utah, convalescing. This was a time of deep introspection for him, a time to probe "his interior world, weighing and analyzing his strengths and weaknesses, his responsibilities, and his motivation, searching for his ruling principles to govern his life" (George Albert Smith: Kind and Caring Christian, Prophet of God, p. 134).

During this time of illness and convalescing he wrote what became known as his "creed." This creed was a self-written guideline to measure his desires and conduct, and the reason for the conduct, by which he wanted to guide his life. During the remainder of his life, President Smith would apply the words of his creed to his everyday life. Below is the creed he wrote:

I would be a friend to the friendless and find joy in ministering to the needs of the poor.
   
I would visit the sick and afflicted and inspire in them a desire for faith to be healed.
   
I would teach the truth to the understanding and blessing of mankind.
   
I would seek out the erring one and try to win him back to a righteous and happy life.
   
I would not seek to force people to live up to my ideals, but rather love them into doing the thing that is right.
   
I would live with the masses and help to solve their problems that their earth life may be happy.
   
I would avoid the publicity of high position and discourage the flattery of thoughtless friends.
   
I would not knowingly wound the feelings of any, not even one who may have wronged me, but would seek to do good and make him my friend.
   
I would overcome the tendency to selfishness and jealousy and rejoice in the success of all the children of our Heavenly Father.
   
I would not be an enemy to any living soul.
   
Knowing that the Redeemer of mankind has offered to the world the only plan that will fully develop us and make us really happy here and hereafter, I feel it not only a duty but a blessed privilege to disseminate

(Improvement Era, March 1932, p. 295; George Albert Smith, p. 134-135).

We have the 13 Articles of Faith. We have individual Patriarchal blessings.  We have the Family Proclamation.  We have the RS theme.   We have so much.  Why have a creed?  I don't know.... but President George Albert Smith had one and that inspired me to have one.  I know the things I have in my creed are personal truths I try to live by.  Maybe my creed is insight into my weaknesses category?  Reminders of how I want to be.  How I want to live.  I've slowly added things over the years.  It's an interesting idea to think about having a Creed. 

I like that he doesn't number them. I numbered mine but not one of them, in my mind, is any less/more important. I think I need to do away with the numbers on mine. I'll share mine after Memorial Day. 

Do you have a creed of some sort?  Some saying/quote that pulls you through life and gets you back on track if you are derailed for a bit?