My dear brothers and sisters, how wonderful it is to be with you at Stake Conference today. We are so blessed to be with you. We consider it a privilege to be here. I pray that the Lord’s spirit will accompany each of us today, that we may each be able to gain the personal revelation we need for our own lives, and for our personal ministries at this conference.
What an amazing choir. Young people of the church, the rising generation. We love you. We respect you. And we pray for you. And more than ever, we need you.
Many years ago I had the opportunity to take several young men to Scout Camp. Oh how many testimonies have been forged in the trials of Scout Camp. We had the great privilege to attend a camp in the Sierra Mountains above Kernville, near the Kern River. Part of our weeks adventure would include a day of white water rafting on the Kern River.
The Kern River is a very active river, and when the water flow is particularly high, can have significant rapids. This was not one of those years. Our year, the water level was not particularly high and instead of rafting, we got to kayak down the river. Nevertheless, this was still a great experience. The rapids were smaller but being able to guide your own kayak down these rapids was exhilarating and challenging.
It was a great day overall. As we moved in a group from one set of rapids to calm water, then to rapids, then to calm water, things were going great. The guide would give us instruction during moments of calm on the upcoming rapids.
On our last set of rapids, the course was narrow. A large calm area of water would narrow sharply towards a right bank, where the rapids would quickly pull you down in a long crescent moon shape to another calm area. It was so narrow the rapid needed to be done one kayak at a time.
The flow of the water would pull the kayaks towards this set of rapids, and if you were not paying attention, you would reach the rapids before you were ready. Right at the beginning of the rapids, was a large rock. If you were not careful, you would hit the rock, which would spin your kayak the wrong way, and send you backwards down the rapids.
Carefully we led the group towards the rapids, and carefully set each kayak around the rock, one at a time, and into the rapids. If you did so accurately, you had one of the best rides of the day.
But inexperience sometimes leads to disaster. As a leader I was there to help direct traffic so to speak on the water. After several successful launches, one kayak got stuck sideways on the boulder at the beginning of the run. The power of the water made it so the kayak was upended on the rock, and the young scouts could not get the kayak turned to move into the rapids.
While other kayaks waited, I went over to help maneuver the kayak off the rock and into the rapid. To do so required that I exit my kayak altogether. Unfortunately, not everyone of my young scouts was paying attention. With my back turned to those waiting in the queue, just as I was getting back into position and sitting in my own kayak, I turn and see another kayak coming my way full speed. I did all I could to get their attention, and shift their direction. But the current was too strong. Try as they might, the could not slow down, or move in a direction that would avoid a collision. Within seconds, both me and my kayak were knocked out of place, and into the rapids. The problem is that we did not go into the rapids together. I was out of my boat, and now completely at the mercy of the river and the rapids.
All those who traveled this set of rapids prior to me went through very smoothly. It was a fast paced and exciting ride around the bend. If you were in a boat, it was awesome.
But what you could not see underneath the rapids, was the amount of rocks sticking out from the bottom of the riverbed. I got to know each of these rocks personally. As I was flung into the water and entered the rapid without my kayak, I very quickly hit a rock, and let out a yell of pain. Then I hit another and another yell, and another and another yell and another.
All I could do was hold on and wait for it to be over and hope I make it to the calm waters at the end of the trip.
I can still hear in my head the ringing of the laughter of each of the boys as they watched me go from one rock, to another, to another, with a cry of pain for each rock I hit.
They, having successfully navigated down the rapid, did not even know the rocks were there. Their kayaks had kept them safe.
Well I survived. And thankfully had no permanent injury. I was very lucky. But very thankful at the same time.
At another river, thousands of years ago, a prophet named Joshua led the children of Israel to the promised land. After following Moses and leaving Egypt, and spending 40 years wandering in the wilderness, the Children of Israel were finally prepared to enter into the promised land.
In preparation for this exciting moment Joshua told the people “Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” (Joshua 3:5)
They had to be ready and worthy for the blessings the Lord had in store for them. Note the emphasis on personal preparation – “Sanctify yourselves” it says.
As we know the next day they took the Ark of the Covenant before them, and as the first priest stepped into the water of the Jordan River, the river parted, the water stands up as a heap, and all the Children of Israel walk into the promised land on dry ground. (Joshua 3)
Once in Canaan, the Israelites still had battles that had to be waged. Their work was not finished. It would take many years of struggles, battles and conflicts before Israel could really call Canaan home.
In like manner, the war for the souls of men continues today. The world is moving and changing at an ever increasing rate. And with it, Satan is rallying his troops and positioning his forces for the final battles that will come. The world we see today, will not be the same world that our youth will see in 10, 15, or 20 years.
For example, since 2012 , a mere seven years, there have been an additional 1.7 billion internet users, and an additional 2.2 billion cell phones added to the network. In North America, 78% of people use some type of social platform.
The world the youth of today will inherit , will be very different than the world you or I inherited. There is a tendency at times to blame the problems that rising generations experience on the generation themselves. This is counterproductive. While all youth have their struggles, we must realize that contrary to recent previous generations, we are now raising our children and training our youth in enemy territory.
One of the great tasks for us as adults, as parents, and as leaders, is to raise a righteous generation in a world that is mostly devoid of righteous examples outside the church. That is not to say that they are not there. There is a great deal of good in the world. And there are good people all around us, both in and out of the church. But the forces of evil would distract us from the good, and have us focus on that which is negative, sensational, or even fake.
Studies of youth today find stark contrasts between their experience growing up and ours. To help our youth, we must understand the world they live in. Not to excuse them from their responsibilities, but to help them navigate it.
Youth today:
-Are digital natives. They have been given a phone or digital device since before they could walk.
-Are accustomed to instant gratification – They have grown up with, instant messaging, cell phones, SnapChat, Instagram, and all manner of entertainment at their finger tips.
-They have shorter attention spans.
-They are accustomed to greater diversity, yet very individualistic and entrepreneurial. – They have lived in a era where companies rise and fall, and new trends develop quickly. Yet despite access to anyone in the world almost instantly, studies find that they often report feeling lonely, and are overwhelmed with the expectations placed upon them.
This is the enemy territory that they live in. Unlike the Israelites, it is not a territory of land, geography, or area for which we fight. Rather it is a struggle for their attention, and the heart, might, mind, and soul of our youth, the Rising Generation.
It is not that these luxuries of modern life are inherently bad. They are not. Modern technology, when used properly, can serve as a great and useful tool for good.
Sometimes the adversary will launch a direct frontal assault using technology and modern media.
But more often, it is simply the distraction that these modern marvels of communication and technology create that is the problem. It’s not that they are always being used badly. It is that they are being used too much and distracting us from the things that matter, and bring us closer to God. Is it any wonder President Nelson has asked on at least two occasions for people to take a fast from technology and social media?
So …. how do we bring up the Rising Generation in this new enemy territory? How do we reach the youth today, when their needs and interests are so different from what we are accustomed to? How do we keep them engaged in the gospel?
To help the rising generation, we must focus on and help them understand what is real.
First, -They need to develop a Personal Testimony of the Gospel. We need to help them develop a testimony of the Savior, His Atonement, His Gospel, and the Restoration. The dilemma is we can not do it for them.
Developing a testimony is by definition an individual achievement, but it does not need to be an individual endeavor. We must present opportunities for our youth to grow spiritually, while honoring their Agency that our Heavenly Father has given them.
Elder Richard G. Scott has said “Forced obedience yields no enduring fruit.”
We must present opportunities for our youth to make choices to come closer to the Lord while respecting their agency. Agency is one of the grand principles of Heaven.
Without agency, there is no real personal progression.
If we are always forced to choose the right, we never really know what we would choose for ourselves. (lds.org)
Let’s go back to the example of Joshua. Near the end of his life, in his closing address, Joshua called the Children of Israel together, and recounted all the blessings the Lord had bestowed upon them from the time they left Egypt until entering the promised land. Then he said in Joshua 24:15
“…choose you this day whom ye will serve;” He knew the choice was theirs. But then he lead the way. “…but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught that true personal development requires two things. Agency, and Opportunity. (Ensign, May 1983, p. 11)
Our youth must be given both. They must be provided with opportunities to experience the gospel, and agency to make the right choices so they can know what they would choose for themselves.
Second – We should teach the Plan of Salvation. Nothing can bring a greater relief to loneliness and doubt, than having a testimony that you are a son or daughter of a Heavenly Father. If this testimony burns within you, you are never truly alone.
Our youth must understand where we came from, why we are here, and where we can go through proper obedience, ordinances, and covenants.
Do our youth know who they are? Do we take the time to teach them?
Do they know they are children of a loving Heavenly Father?
In so many ways, this can make all the difference.
This life is fraught with difficulties, challenges, illness, uphill battles, and hard knocks. Sometimes, it is just not fair. This is the mortal experience. This is what we signed up for. And sometimes it just very hard.
Sometimes knowing we have a perfect, all loving, omniscient Savior, who completely understands anything we might be going through, is the only way we get through.
Our children, must be taught to go to the Savior. They must be taught His role in the Plan of Salvation.
Third – We must be authentic ourselves. We must be real. We do not hide from our doctrine, nor do we apologize for it.
Furthermore, when working with our youth, if we say we are going to do something, we must do it.
This generation can sniff out something fake faster than anything. They have grown up with false storylines, and are very good at identifying them. The paradox, is that the world is so filled with misleading storylines, and virtual existences, that truth can seem fleeting and relative. So instead of learning to trust and believe, we can become cynics.
If we are going to testify of the truth, and be examples of the believers, we must be authentic ourselves.
We must not over promise either. If we say “it will be the most spiritual experience of your life” and then it’s not…we’ve lost credibility. Besides, the spirit doesn’t work that way. We have no control over the spirit and how it speaks to another person. We can only invite it.
Again – opportunities and agency.
We must create opportunities where our youth can use their agency to build their own testimonies.
So , Testimony, Agency, Plan of Salvation, and Personal Authenticity, are keys to engaging our youth, and helping them recognize what is real.
Now I would like to address just a few remarks directly to our youth.
You truly are the rising generation, and of a noble birthright. And the Lord has great things planned for you. I hope you realize who you are. We are all counting on you. And I am confident you will do great things. But the areas I have already discussed, testimony, agency, plan of salvation and personal authenticity, are just as important for you.
No one can get a testimony for someone else. You must use your agency to learn what is real. There is no such thing as an Instant Christian. It requires you do the work.
We often talk about the Prophet Joseph Smith and the first vision. What a glorious and magnificent manifestation it was. But it was not by coincidence, nor was it without effort.
If we read the official account of the First Vision, after Joseph Smith read James 1:5, he describes that he “reflected on it again and again.” He says that “at length” meaning after a long time, he finally decided to make the effort to go to the Sacred Grove to pray. (JST 1:11-12).
After the work, came the manifestation.
To our youth in Zion, and anyone who may still question: Make the effort. Take the time. Do the research. All spiritual blessings are predicated on spiritual work. Put yourself in places where you can feel the spirit. Be in places where you can grow, and don’t go to places where you know there is darkness.
In each of our lives there will be times of calm waters, and times of rapids. That’s life. But I can personally attest that the ride is better, if we stay in the boat.
The church, is the boat. If we stay with it, we get through the rapids better.
Each of my young scouts that day went down the last rapid without incident. I alone felt the repeated pain and anguish of each bolder as I hit them one after another, as I went down on my own, without a boat. The church and the gospel, though it can not shield us from every rapid, it can help keep us above the spiritual rocks lurking below that could destroy us.
Give yourself the opportunity, to use your agency, to choose to follow the Lord. I testify that He lives. That he knows each of us, and he has a plan and a work for each of us to do. And He is eager to bless us. But we must choose Him first.
As Joshua said, “Sanctify yourselves; for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”
I so testify, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
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