Recently, following a large youth devotional, Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles visited “amidst a happy swirl of wonderful young men and young women.”
A young man approached and asked, “Elder Gong, can I still go to heaven?” Ashamed of things he had done, the young man wondered if there was hope for him.
“At that moment, it seemed as though time stopped, and it was only the two of us talking,” Elder Gong said during a devotional address as part of BYU Education Week on Tuesday, August 19.
Elder Gong said he asked the young man’s name, encouraged him to see his bishop, and then gave him a huge hug. He then told the young man: “Trust God and repent, and I promise you can still go to heaven.”
The young man “looked into my eyes until he knew what I was saying was true,” Elder Gong said.
Sometimes individuals can hear the words but not know deep in their hearts that the principles of the gospel are real for them—personally.
However, “our most important personal wisdom and understanding is to know the blessings and Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ are meant for each of us,” Elder Gong said.
Read more about Elder Gong’s address at the Church News.
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