The stake is doing ward conferences in January and February. Today was West Point's ward conference and Woodledge's ward conference. Because I am serving as stake YW secretary, I am invited to attend all of the ward conferences and I was asked to give a ten minute introductory lesson in West Point's joint meeting for the young men and young women.
President Carlson gave the following counsel:
- Help the youth to identify the Lord's pattern for learning and making decisions in the new for the strength of youth booklet.
- "And again, I will give unto you a pattern in all things, that ye may not be deceived;" (D&C 52:14)
- Assist the youth in learning to look to the Savior for answers to our questions.
- "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not." (D&C 6:36)
- "As you use your freedom to choose to follow Jesus Christ, you are on the path that leads to eternal happiness. Make Jesus Christ your standard, your rock-solid foundation. Build your life on His teachings, and measure your choices by them. The covenants you make at baptism, during the sacrament, and in the temple are the building blocks of your firm foundation in Christ. You’ll still face struggles and temptations, but Heavenly Father and the Savior will help you through them all." (FSY Booklet)
- Share personal experiences, testimony, and follow the Spirit in your preparation and delivery.
Here's how I felt guided to share. (It was interesting because Brother Cable gave the introduction in Woodledge Ward and he approached it COMPLETELY differently. Like I'm not sure there was ANY overlap at all. And it was wonderful. Completely different, and probably his was more engaging and entertaining, but hopefully between our introductions and then a wonderful panel discussion in which President Hall, President Tye and President Light all answered questions submitted by the youth, the youth gained what they needed and the Lord wanted them to receive. That's my hope.
Anyway, here's what I shared:
The First Presidency opened the FSY booklet with these words:
“We love you and we have confidence in you. You are truly among Heavenly Father’s choice spirits, sent to earth at this time to do important things.
There may be times when you don’t feel strong or capable. That’s normal. Especially in those moments, turn to the Savior. He is the “strength of youth.”
I hope that you have and will study the FSY pamphlet. It contains a pattern for decision making. It first teaches doctrine and principles that should govern our choices. then it gives invitations to act on those principles, and finally it promises blessings if we live the doctrine. This is a pattern you will see in the scriptures and in many conference talks and in lessons. Doctrine. Invitations to act. Promised blessings.
The pamphlet says: “As you use your freedom to choose to follow Jesus Christ, you are on the path that leads to eternal happiness. Make Jesus Christ your standard, your rock-solid foundation. Build your life on His teachings, and measure your choices by them. The covenants you make at baptism, during the sacrament, and in the temple are the building blocks of your firm foundation in Christ. You’ll still face struggles and temptations, but Heavenly Father and the Savior will help you through them all.”
The pamphlet also says: “Your Father in Heaven trusts you. He has given you great blessings, including the fulness of the gospel and sacred ordinances and covenants that bind you to Him and bring His power into your life. With those blessings comes added responsibility. He knows you can make a difference in the world, and that requires, in many cases, being different from the world. Seek your Heavenly Father’s guidance as you make choices. He will bless you with inspiration through the Holy Ghost.
The purpose of For the Strength of Youth is not to give you a “yes” or “no” about every possible choice you might face. Instead, the Lord is inviting you to live in a higher and holier way —His way. This guide will teach you about His way. It explains truths He has revealed. Make these truths your guide for making choices —big choices, such as making covenants in the temple and serving a mission, as well as daily choices, such as how to treat people or how to spend your time.”
When I was your age some of the decisions I had to make included whether to drink alcohol when most of my friends and classmates did, what clothes to wear, what types of language to use, what college to attend, what to study, whether or not to serve a mission, whether to be endowed and sealed in the temple. Some decisions were easy and some were hard. Sometimes I made great choices and other times I made mistakes, just as you will. These decisions will have a profound impact on our lives, and the lives of others. Fortunately, when we make mistakes we can repent and change!
In high school, I asked friends not to swear around me and most of them respectfully avoided profanity. Just a couple of weeks ago, a high school friend posted on Facebook. Another friend commented on the post and his response included one swear word. I replied to his comment, but I didn’t mention the profanity. He replied and said that when he saw I was reading his comment he edited it to remove the profanity. I haven’t seen this friend in 25 years but all these years later he chose to change his language to be respectful to me. Our influence is greater than we realize.
So what do we do if we have to make a difficult decision or we have a thorny question? Where can we turn for help and for answers?
I have 4 different articles/conference talks and you will read one and write down what you learn about where you can turn to learn the doctrine and get answers to your questions. In about 5 minutes we’ll share out what you learned. As you have hopefully noticed, I also have quotes and scriptures around the room that might spur thoughts as well.
Give 5 minutes to read the article and write down thoughts/ideas. Share out. Possibly write the ideas on the board.
End with this quote:
President Lund said, “Let there be no doubt: it is the very stuff of heroes displayed by our youth when they set their hearts and minds to standing upright against the shifting moral tectonics of our time.”
“The answer to the simplest questions, and to the most complex problems, is always the same. The answer is Jesus Christ. Every solution is found in Him.”
--Ryan K. Olsen
“You don’t have to wonder about what is true. You do not have to wonder whom you can safely trust. Through personal revelation, you can receive your own witness that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, that Joseph Smith is a prophet, and that this is the Lord’s Church. Regardless of what others may say or do, no one can ever take away a witness borne to your heart and mind about what is true.”
--Russell M. Nelson
“Quiet time is sacred time—time that will facilitate personal revelation and instill peace.”
--Russell M. Nelson
D&C 88:118
And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.
D&C 6:36
“Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.”
“It’s natural to have questions-the acorn of honest inquiry has often sprouted and matured into a great oak of understanding.”
-Dieter F. Uchtdorf
“Scriptures are like packets of light that illuminate our minds and give place to guidance and inspiration from on high.”
-Elder richard G. Scott
“Does God really want to speak to you? Yes! “As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course … as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints.”
--Russell M. Nelson
Here are the excerpts from talks that I gave:
Excerpt 1:
Excerpt from BYU Idaho Devotional
Sheri Dew: “Will You Engage in the Wrestle?”
“Consider the miracle of it! Through the power of the Holy Ghost,[i] we can know what is true with enough surety to testify of truth....
Four years ago, a marvelous young woman who had just graduated with honors from BYU called me, distraught. Through sobs she blurted, "I'm not sure I believe the Church is true anymore, and I'm scared. What if my family isn't going to be together forever?"
I asked, "Do you want a testimony?" "Yes," she said.
"Are you willing to work for it?" Again, "Yes."
And she was. She had a great bishop and an off-the-charts Relief Society president, both of whom worked with her. Friends and family came to her rescue. And she and I began to meet for gospel study sessions. I told her, "Bring your scriptures and every question you have. Questions are good. Let's see what the Lord will teach us."
She took me at my word and brought one thorny question after another. We searched the scriptures and the teachings of prophets for answers. Little by little, she began to realize that just because she had questions didn't mean she didn't have a testimony. The scriptures are filled with accounts of prophets who had questions. And she began to recognize when the Spirit was bearing witness to her-including bearing witness that prophets, seers, and revelators are truly prophets.
Her testimony began to grow, and time passed. Then about a year ago she called again. "I wanted you to be one of the first to know that I am holding in my hand a temple recommend. Will you come when I receive my endowment?" Then she added, "Do you know what you said that helped me the most? You told me that questions are good, and that allowed me to see myself as a seeker rather than a doubter."
I was overjoyed! But two days later, I received a much different call from another BYU graduate. "Sister Dew," she said, "before you hear it from someone else, I want you to know that I'm pregnant." She said that for several years she had doubted the truthfulness of the gospel and had finally decided there was no reason to live the law of chastity.
I told her that I was not her judge and that I loved her. Then I asked her if she would like to have a testimony. "No, I don't think so," she said.
The contrast was stunning. At about the same time, these two young women had questions that threatened their testimonies. One of them sent out a cry for help, and family, friends and leaders followed President Monson's counsel and went to her rescue. The other girl nursed her doubt and convinced herself that her immoral choices were acceptable. I love and care about this girl. But for now, she has chosen a spiritually perilous path.
One girl's questions propelled her to become a seeker of truth. The other girl used her questions to justify her immorality.
My dear friends, questions are good. Questions are good if they are inspired questions, asked in faith, and asked of credible sources where the Spirit will direct and confirm the answer....
None of us are entitled to revelation without effort on our part. Answers from God don't just magically appear. If we want to grow spiritually, the Lord expects us to ask questions and seek answers. "If thou shalt ask," He promised, "thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge...."[x] How much clearer can it be? The Lord loves inspired questions asked in faith because they lead to knowledge, to revelation, and to greater faith....
I recently engaged in a wrestle.... I asked the Lord to teach me. I prayed, searched the scriptures, studied the teachings of prophets, and pondered my question in the temple. This went on for several months.
Seekers have certain habits that are key to learning to communicate with God. For starters, they engage in the wrestle, meaning they work at it. They immerse themselves regularly in the scriptures, because the scriptures are the textbook for the Lord's language. They also work to be increasingly pure-pure in their heart and thoughts, pure in what they say, watch, read, and listen to. Purity invites the Spirit. And then, pure seekers listen. One of my former institute students periodically turns everything electronic off. TV off. Music off. Phone off. Computer off. She says, "I like to let the Lord know I'm listening."
As you cultivate these spiritual habits, there are two questions that will help open the heavens. First, ask the Lord to teach you what it feels and sounds like for you when He is speaking to you via the Holy Ghost, and then watch how He tutors you. And, second, if you've never asked the Lord how He feels about you, that is a great question to ask. In time, He will tell you, and as He does, you'll learn more about speaking His language.
When the Lord sees that you want to communicate with Him, He will teach you how.
Excerpt 2:
D&C 9: 7-9 “Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me. But, behold, I say unto you, that you must astudy it out in your bmind; then you must cask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your dbosom shall eburn within you; therefore, you shall ffeel that it is right. But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a astupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong; therefore, you cannot write that which is bsacred save it be given you from me.”
Excerpts from Elder Uchtdorf: “Jesus Christ is the Strength of Youth”
“My dear young friends, if the Savior were here right now, what would He say to you? I believe He would start by expressing His deep love for you. He might say it with words, but it would also flow so strongly—just from His presence—that it would be unmistakable, reaching deep into your heart, filling your whole soul!...
I believe the Savior Jesus Christ would want you to see, feel, and know that He is your strength. That with His help, there are no limits to what you can accomplish. That your potential is limitless. He would want you to see yourself the way He sees you. And that is very different from the way the world sees you.
The Savior would declare, in no uncertain terms, that you are a daughter or son of the Almighty God. Your Heavenly Father is the most glorious being in the universe, full of love, joy, purity, holiness, light, grace, and truth. And one day He wants you to inherit all He has.6
It is the reason why you’re on the earth—to learn, grow, and progress and become everything your Father in Heaven has created you for...
At the heart of God’s plan for your happiness is your power to choose.7 Of course, your Heavenly Father wants you to choose eternal joy with Him, and He will help you to achieve it, but He would never force it upon you....
But when you earnestly seek the truth—eternal, unchanging truth—your choices become much clearer. Yes, you still have temptation and trials. Bad things still happen. Puzzling things. Tragic things. But you can manage when you know who you are, why you are here, and when you trust God.
So where do you find truth?
It is contained in the gospel of Jesus Christ. And the fulness of that gospel is taught in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Jesus Christ said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”11
When you have important choices to make, Jesus Christ and His restored gospel are the best choice. When you have questions, Jesus Christ and His restored gospel are the best answer. When you feel weak, Jesus Christ is your strength.
He gives power to the weary; and to those who feel powerless, He increases strength.
They who wait upon the Lord will be renewed by His strength....
President Russell M. Nelson taught: “When your greatest desire is to let God prevail [in your life], … many decisions become easier. … Many issues become nonissues! You know how best to groom yourself. You know what to watch and read, where to spend your time, and with whom to associate. You know what you want to accomplish. You know the kind of person you … want to become.”...
Jesus Christ has very high standards for His followers. And the invitation to earnestly seek His will and live by His truths is the highest standard possible!
Important temporal and spiritual choices should not only be based on personal preference or what is convenient or popular.23 The Lord is not saying, “Do whatever you want.” He is saying, “Let God prevail.” He is saying, “Come, follow me.”24
He is saying, “Live in a holier, higher, more mature way.”
He is saying, “Keep my commandments.”
Jesus Christ is our perfect example, and we strive with all the energy of our soul to follow Him
Excerpt #3:
Excerpts from “Our Search for Truth”, an article by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf in August 2020 New Era
“Never in the history of the world have we had easier access to more information—some of it true, some of it false, and much of it partially true.
Consequently, never in the history of the world has it been more important to learn how to correctly discern between truth and error....
The thing about truth is that it exists beyond belief. It is true even if nobody believes it.... So how can we find truth?
Yes, our world is full of confusion. But eventually all of our questions will be answered. All of our doubts will be replaced by certainty. And that is because there is one source of truth that is complete, correct, and incorruptible. That source is our infinitely wise and all-knowing Heavenly Father. He knows truth as it was, as it is, and as it yet will be (see Doctrine and Covenants 93:24). “He comprehendeth all things, … and he is above all things, … and all things are by him, and of him” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:41).
Our loving Heavenly Father offers His truth to us, His mortal children.
Now, what is this truth?
It is His gospel. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).
If we will only have enough courage and faith to walk in His path, it will lead us to peace of heart and mind, to lasting meaning in life, to happiness in this world, and to joy in the world to come. The Savior is “not far from every one of us” (Acts 17:27). We have His promise that if we seek Him diligently, we will find Him (see Deuteronomy 4:29; Proverbs 8:17; Acts 17:27; Doctrine and Covenants 88:63).
Our Heavenly Father knew how difficult it would be for us to sift through all the competing noise and discover truth during our mortality. He knew we would see only a portion of the truth, and He knew that Satan would try to deceive us. So He gave us the heavenly gift of the Holy Ghost to illuminate our minds, teach us, and testify to us of the truth.
The witness of truth from the Holy Ghost is available to all, everywhere, all around the globe. All who seek to know the truth, who study it out in their minds (see Doctrine and Covenants 9:8), and who “ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, [will know] the truth … by the power of the Holy Ghost” (Moroni 10:4).
Yes, your loving Father in Heaven would never leave you alone in this mortality to wander in the dark. You need not be deceived. You can overcome the darkness of this world and discover divine truth.
The Lord knows you; He loves you. The Lord has great confidence in you. He knows your successes, and He is mindful of your challenges and questions in life.
It is my prayer that you will seek the truth earnestly and unceasingly, that you will yearn to drink from the fount of all truth, whose waters are pure and sweet, “a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14).
Excerpt from August 2020 New Era: Four Tools for Answering Questions:
1. Keep a strong connection with God.
Don’t forget to continue to fast and pray for guidance, read the scriptures for revelation, attend church, and worship in the temple. Amidst confusion and doubt, it might sometimes seem like prayer and scripture study are tedious tasks, but they are your most valuable tools. Remember that God is the source of all truth; as you seek to be close to Him, you will be able to find the peace you are looking for.
2. Talk to your parents or leaders.
If you ever feel overwhelmed by negative information and don’t know where to look next, don’t give up! Make sure your parents and Church leaders know what you are struggling with. They can help you find answers to your questions and guide you to reliable resources.
3. Familiarize yourself with reliable resources.
Church leaders have given us many resources to learn more about Church history, including those in the scriptures, the Gospel Topics essays found on ChurchofJesusChrist.org, the Joseph Smith Papers, and the Church’s official history books, Saints. When you know the facts and the Church’s official stance on controversial subjects, you will feel more confident when you’re confronted with opposition.
4. Have faith in God’s timing.
While there is a lot of information now available to us, some questions do not yet have answers. We need to “remember that although Heavenly Father has revealed all that is necessary for our salvation, He has not yet revealed all truth.”1 We must have the faith and humility to persevere until we receive a greater knowledge. God teaches us line upon line, and we can experience an increase of faith and hope in the future as we draw closer to Him.
Excerpt #4:
Excerpts from President Nelson’s talk “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for our Lives”
“One of the things the Spirit has repeatedly impressed upon my mind since my new calling as President of the Church is how willing the Lord is to reveal His mind and will. The privilege of receiving revelation is one of the greatest gifts of God to His children.
Through the manifestations of the Holy Ghost, the Lord will assist us in all our righteous pursuits. I remember in an operating room, I have stood over a patient—unsure how to perform an unprecedented procedure—and experienced the Holy Ghost diagramming the technique in my mind....
Imagine the miracle of it! Whatever our Church calling, we can pray to our Heavenly Father and receive guidance and direction, be warned about dangers and distractions, and be enabled to accomplish things we simply could not do on our own. If we will truly receive the Holy Ghost and learn to discern and understand His promptings, we will be guided in matters large and small....
Brothers and sisters, how can we become the men and women—the Christlike servants—the Lord needs us to be? How can we find answers to questions that perplex us? If Joseph Smith’s transcendent experience in the Sacred Grove teaches us anything, it is that the heavens are open and that God speaks to His children.
The Prophet Joseph Smith set a pattern for us to follow in resolving our questions. Drawn to the promise of James that if we lack wisdom we may ask of God,8 the boy Joseph took his question directly to Heavenly Father. He sought personal revelation, and his seeking opened this last dispensation.
In like manner, what will your seeking open for you? What wisdom do you lack? What do you feel an urgent need to know or understand? Follow the example of the Prophet Joseph. Find a quiet place where you can regularly go. Humble yourself before God. Pour out your heart to your Heavenly Father. Turn to Him for answers and for comfort.
Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses—yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take. As you repeat this process day after day, month after month, year after year, you will “grow into the principle of revelation.”9
Does God really want to speak to you? Yes! “As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course … as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints.”10
You don’t have to wonder about what is true.11 You do not have to wonder whom you can safely trust. Through personal revelation, you can receive your own witness that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, that Joseph Smith is a prophet, and that this is the Lord’s Church. Regardless of what others may say or do, no one can ever take away a witness borne to your heart and mind about what is true.
I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation, for the Lord has promised that “if thou shalt [seek], thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal.”12
Oh, there is so much more that your Father in Heaven wants you to know. As Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught, “To those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, it is clear that the Father and the Son are giving away the secrets of the universe!”13
Nothing opens the heavens quite like the combination of increased purity, exact obedience, earnest seeking, daily feasting on the words of Christ in the Book of Mormon,14 and regular time committed to temple and family history work.
To be sure, there may be times when you feel as though the heavens are closed. But I promise that as you continue to be obedient, expressing gratitude for every blessing the Lord gives you, and as you patiently honor the Lord’s timetable, you will be given the knowledge and understanding you seek. Every blessing the Lord has for you—even miracles—will follow. That is what personal revelation will do for you.
I am optimistic about the future. It will be filled with opportunities for each of us to progress, contribute, and take the gospel to every corner of the earth. But I am also not naive about the days ahead. We live in a world that is complex and increasingly contentious. The constant availability of social media and a 24-hour news cycle bombard us with relentless messages. If we are to have any hope of sifting through the myriad of voices and the philosophies of men that attack truth, we must learn to receive revelation.
Our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, will perform some of His mightiest works between now and when He comes again. We will see miraculous indications that God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, preside over this Church in majesty and glory. But in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.
**There wasn't a ton of discussion...the youth were fairly quiet. But they did all seem to be reading and many even wrote down some things (I'd given them a paper that said "Seeking Truth and Finding Answers to Questions" to write down their thoughts and ideas). And many of the adults and a couple of youth shared things they learned.
Update: Heather Hamilton told me that she has listened to that Sheri Dew talk several times since this meeting.
Always my hope is that something I say is helpful to at least one person.
