Imagine being twelve and having a conversation that completely reshapes your understanding of truth?
We'll navigate the winding path of knowledge acquisition and truth comprehension, emphasizing the power of continual learning. We'll touch on the courage it takes to testify of individual truths when we don't possess all the answers yet.
Crucial to our discussion is the nurturing of faith in our youth. Our patience is tested as we allow truth to unfurl within them, just as it does in us. We'll delve into the importance of trust in this process and the vital role of expressing truths deeply rooted in charity.
Talk Quoted in episode: "What is Truth" Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf CES Fireside January 2013
Imagine being twelve and having a conversation that completely reshapes your understanding of truth?
We'll navigate the winding path of knowledge acquisition and truth comprehension, emphasizing the power of continual learning. We'll touch on the courage it takes to testify of individual truths when we don't possess all the answers yet.
Crucial to our discussion is the nurturing of faith in our youth. Our patience is tested as we allow truth to unfurl within them, just as it does in us. We'll delve into the importance of trust in this process and the vital role of expressing truths deeply rooted in charity.
Talk Quoted in episode: "What is Truth" Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf CES Fireside January 2013
FSY Pamphlet Section: Truth will make you free
Speaker 1:
Hello and welcome to episode 111 of the Latter-day Ladies podcast. I'm your host and your friend, jenny Moss, and today we are going to talk about truth. We're continuing the series on the First Strength of Youth pamphlet and I can't wait to dive in with you. Hello, everyone, welcome to the Latter-day Ladies podcast. Today we're going to dive into truth, and I'm starting this off with a story that still kind of makes me cringe, from when I was a tween.
Speaker 1:
I was 12 years old, in the backseat of my Dodge Caravan with two of my friends driving down to the beach. Both of these friends were members of another church and they often made fun of my beliefs. It was just something that we talked about a lot, and one of my friends asked what do you think is the real difference between your church and our church? I answered in a very simplistic and clunky way and said this well, let's pretend there's a cake. This cake is all of the truth of God. You have a couple pieces of the cake, other churches have a couple pieces of the cake, but the Church of Jesus Christ has the whole cake.
Speaker 1:
This very imperfect metaphor was grounds for a lot of teasing in the future. I realized that if I was to be asked that question now, I wouldn't even talk about a cake. I would talk about the need for a restoration of all of God's truth. I would talk about the fact that we need the Savior Jesus Christ power here on the earth to perform ordinances and make covenants in His name, the same way it was done when the Savior was on the earth. I would have scratched that entire cake metaphor. I was trying to put a beautiful and complex restoration of the Savior Jesus Christ Church into a narrow lens which makes sense.
Speaker 1:
I was a 12 year old girl. I've prayed many times since that point that I will be able to one day testify to the great understanding I have of the Lord's Church to my friends from the back seat of our Dodge caravan. This experience will always be connected in my mind to one of my very favorite talks by Elder Diderf Uchtdorf, which was a devotional he gave at BYU in January of 2013. He starts off the talk with this story.
Speaker 2:
Well over 100 years ago, an American poet put to rhyme an ancient parable. The first verse of the poem speaks about six men of Indistown, to learning much inclined, who went to see the elephant. Though all of them were blind, that each, by observation, might satisfy his mind. In the poem, each of the six travelers takes hold of a different part of the elephant and then describes to the others what he has discovered. One of the men finds the elephant's leg and describes it as being round and rough like a tree. Another feels the tusk and describes the elephant as a spear. A third grabs the tail and insists that an elephant is like a rope. A fourth discovers the trunk and insists that the elephant is like a large snake. Each is describing truth, and because his truth comes from personal experience, each insists that he knows what he knows. The poem concludes and so these men of Indistown disputed loud and long, each in his own opinion, exceeding stiff and strong, though each was partly in the right and all were in the wrong.
Speaker 1:
Although some of what I explained was true, in the back of that car I didn't understand the entirety of the elephant. It's so powerful to me that the Lord wants us to reach and understand truth. The beginning of the pamphlet says this quote your heavenly Father is a God of truth. He is all knowing. All truth comes from him and leads to him. You show that you value truth as you seek learning, live with integrity and bravely stand for what you know is right, even if you have to stand alone. End quote. What I love so much about truth is what it says in that last paragraph All truth comes from him and leads to him. The more I've come to understand about my body and my health in the last couple years, the greater appreciation I have for the Lord and His creation of life. I see God in everything, all truth, whether it be music or geology, accounting, biology, any other field, all of it can help us understand the different sides of the elephant and understand who God is a little bit more clearly. The pamphlet continues, quote Heavenly Father wants His daughters and His sons to always be learning. You have both temporal and spiritual reasons to seek and love learning. Education is not just about earning money. It's part of your eternal goal to become more like Heavenly Father. End quote. I absolutely love this principle. Learning has brought me so much joy and I'm grateful for the connection that they make that it's not just about earning money, it's about growing our understanding and becoming like our Lord.
Speaker 1:
The next portion of the pamphlet says this quote you have something precious to share. The gospel of Jesus Christ holds the answers to life's questions. It is the way to peace and happiness. You may not know everything, but you know enough to help others understand and value true eternal principles. End quote. We absolutely have something precious to share. And although my cake allegory was not perfect, years later, when tragedy hit one of those friends, I was there and available to teach about the plan of salvation. This friend had, over years, seen my conviction and understanding grow and with that his trust in me grew as well. I did not know everything, but I knew that we were going to see our families again and that was important to tell him in a time of need. We may not know everything now. Our youth may not know everything, but when we testify of individual truths, others can discern through their spirits that what they're hearing is true. The pamphlet continues quote Always be learning. Look for opportunities to expand your mind and your skills. These opportunities can include formal education at school or vocational training, as well as informal learning from sources you trust. Involve the Lord in your efforts and he will guide you". As we encourage our youth to learn and enjoy the process of expanding their understandings, this will lead them to seeking more learning in their life. I love that this was included in here that their learning may be formal education but also vocational training. Teaching the youth to involve the Lord in these ventures is such a fantastic point.
Speaker 1:
I remember how frustrated I was when my educational goals did not turn out the way I wanted them to when I was a senior in high school. So I prayed and I asked Heavenly Father what he would have me do. He very clearly told me the university he wanted me to attend and what to study. God does care about what we learn and he cares about where we learn it. Even when we're seeking informal education, the Lord cares. I've been inspired a couple times in the last decade to expand my understanding and learning on different subjects that had absolutely nothing to do with my life at that time, and as they've expanded and grown, I've been able to use them as tools to help me bring joy into my life and to share the gospel with others.
Speaker 1:
Pamphlet continues, quote Be a light for others. Let your words and your actions reflect your faith in Jesus Christ. Prepare now for future opportunities to share His glorious gospel as a missionary and throughout your life, and be ready to tell anyone who asks you about the hope and happiness you feel. End quote. We have heard of many people testifying of this special light that comes from followers of Jesus Christ. It is a lightness in our countenances and a brightness that comes from understanding truth. I love the instruction of looking for ways to share the gospel now. Being a light does not mean living a perfect life, but someone who is continually seeking to be closer to the Lord. Jesus Christ Promise blessings, quote.
Speaker 1:
Education increases your ability to serve the Lord. It empowers you to bless others, especially your family. The more you learn, the more you can help build God's kingdom and influence the world for good. I have found this to be very true in my own life because of all I learned about Instagram and social media for my previous job. When the Lord asked me to start this podcast and an Instagram account, I was able to use the understanding and learning that I had already done for this purpose. It would have been very daunting to try to start this entire project from scratch, so I'm thankful that the Lord led me to spend a few years understanding how to create content, using social media as a power for good and connecting with others around the world, so that I would be able to do this job the way that the Lord wanted me to, when he wanted me to do it. God will help you find ways to use your learning and education to help those around you and be a part of his work.
Speaker 1:
If you are doubting that, I highly recommend praying and asking the Lord if he has something for you to do, if he has something for you to learn, something for you to use your talents and skills and understanding in right now. The pamphlet continues, quote honesty brings peace and self-respect. When your words and actions align with truth, you show that you can be trusted by other people and by the Lord. When you stand up for the teachings of Jesus Christ, he stands with you. Others may not agree with you, but your courage and sincerity will be noticed, whether or not others follow your example, your testimony, confidence and faith in Jesus Christ will grow. That's such a great promise, blessing I don't know if there's one that's better that you will be standing with Jesus Christ, if you're standing for his truth. It can be so difficult to be different in junior, high and high school, but understanding that the difference is serving the Lord's purpose and helping him use us as instruments may give us peace that we will be different during that time period. Having a testimony of truth can help us feel integrity and confidence in being different and knowing that that truly is what the Lord wants us to be doing.
Speaker 1:
Question section is it wrong to have questions about the church? How can I find answers? Having questions is not a sign of weakness or lack of faith. In fact, asking questions can help build faith. The restoration of the gospel started when a 14-year-old, joseph Smith, asked questions with faith. Seek answers in the scriptures, in the words of God's prophets, from your leaders and faithful parents, and from God himself. If answers don't come right away, trust that you will learn line upon line. Keep living what you already know and keep seeking for truth, end quote. I absolutely love this question and answer.
Speaker 1:
Having questions is not a sign of weakness or lack of faith. When we ask questions, we're able to be led to a greater understanding. It clearly states that seeking answers in the scriptures and the words of the prophets and, of course, from God himself, is critical in finding answers for ourselves as parents and leaders. I think leading in trust of these wonderful youth is important, trusting their bright and strong spirits and knowing that when they hear truth, they will act upon it. I have found some of my greatest treasures of knowledge and understanding by asking questions and seeking for those answers. I know that our youth have quite a bit of information at their fingertips, so our directing them back to real, full, complete truth from the Lord is important.
Speaker 1:
Last question quote how can I stand up for what is right without offending those who have different beliefs? Start by making sure your words and actions are inspired by love for God and his children. Sharing the gospel should not be done in the spirit of contention, but rather with clarity, meekness and kindness. You can be loving towards others even if you don't agree with their views. End quote. I am so thankful that this was included in here. It's a fantastic principle for everyone, all ages.
Speaker 1:
It can be really, really hard and feel combative when people start to pick apart things that we hold dear. But I have found that trying to communicate with truth and contention wins absolutely no hearts and no peace is felt by any person in that conversation. The only way that we can stand for our beliefs and maintain our own personal peace while teaching the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ is through love and charity. People can say and think what they want. It is actually not our job to change their minds. Our job is to testify of truth and stand for what that truth means.
Speaker 1:
I think it's really important to note that truth takes time to expand within us With our youth. Oftentimes these are the first times they're really asking questions about the things that they may have been taught as children, and so it will take time for them to really understand a concept. Trust in that process. Think back on your own conversion. Think about the time that it took for you to understand different gospel principles. We can trust that, as we continually testify of truth rooted in charity, that our teens will be able to feel the conviction and the love that we have for them and for what we are teaching. I know that we can do it. We can teach these wonderful, wonderful rising youth that they can do it. If you enjoyed this episode of the Latter-day Ladies podcast, please consider sending it to a friend or rating and reviewing our podcast on Apple Podcasts. If you are interested in Christ-centered artwork, you can visit our website, thelatterdayladiescom and click on the Etsy store to be able to purchase any artwork for your Christ-centered artwork needs.