In a powerful devotional delivered at the Marriott Center on the BYU campus, President Russell M. Nelson addressed young adults around the world and outlined "five truths that I feel impressed to share with you," he said.
"Truth number 1: You are sons and daughters of God."
President Nelson shared that the young adults of the Church "are the children whom God chose to be a part of His battalion" in the last days. “One thing is certain," he said, "you are of the house of Israel and you have been sent here to gather God’s elect.”
"Truth number 2: Truth is truth."
"Some things are simply true," our prophet shared. "Eternal laws operate in and affect each of our lives whether we believe them or not." With conflicting sources rampant in the world today, President Nelson assured the members of the Church that God is the source of truth.
"Truth number 3: God loves every one of us with perfect love."
Quoting Romans 8:38-39, President Nelson shared:
"Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, "Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Our Heavenly Father provided a Savior to show us the way to return to Him. “There is a strong connection between God's love and His laws,” the prophet shared. “Divine laws are God’s gifts to His children” and help us "progress toward exaltation."
"Truth number 4: The Lord Jesus Christ, whose Church this is, appoints prophets and apostles to communicate His love and to teach His laws."
“You have not committed any sin so serious that you are beyond the love of the Savior’s atoning grace,” President Nelson promised. But he also acknowledged that "exaltation is not easy."
"Prophets are rarely popular, but we will always teach the truth," the prophet assured Church members, noting that it is because of their love for us that prophets and apostles are willing to teach truth, even when it is difficult to hear. President Nelson then discussed in detail the motivations behind the Church's 2015 and 2019 LGBT policy changes.
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"Whenever the sons and daughters of God weep—for whatever reasons—we weep," President Nelson said. “Though it may not have looked this way to some, the 2015 and 2019 policy adjustments on this matter were both motivated by love—the love of our Heavenly Father for His children and the love of the Brethren for those whom we serve."
"Truth number 5: You may know for yourself what is true and what is not by listening to the whisperings of the Spirit."
“I plead with you to seek earnestly a confirmation from the Spirit that what I’ve told you is true and is from the Lord,” President Nelson said. “Ask if these five truths are in fact true.” We can each hear the Spirit's whisperings and come to know for ourselves eternal truths.
4 Blessings from the Prophet
In conclusion, President Nelson invoked four blessings on the young adults of the Church:
“I invoke a blessing upon you beloved young adults to be able to discern between right and wrong, between the laws of God and the conflicting voices of the world. I bless you with the power to detect the adversary's deceptions. I bless you with greater capacity to receive revelation, and I bless you to be able to feel the infinite reach of God’s perfect love for you. I so bless you and express my love for you along with my witness that this is the Lord’s church, that he presides over and guides all we do."
Lead image a screenshot from YouTube
