Have courage
Know who to serve- Develop conviction
It will take much courage to choose the right when facing decisions in a world where the easy and popular messages are not the right ones, said Elder L. Tom Perry of the Council of the Twelve.
"We live today in a world filled with choices," he said Sunday morning. "Television offers both the good and the bad. Bookstores are full of publications offering the right and wrong.
"Very few movies are worthy of seeing because of the profanity, violence, and immorality that fill them. Advertising is full of enticements to lead us to violate the Word of Wisdom. Some music with its monotonous rhythms beats illicit thoughts into our heads."
"To offset the worldly messages that entice us to choose the wrong," Elder Perry continued, "the Lord has blessed us with symbols of purity to keep us on the right course to `Choose the Right.' "
He shared stories about two such symbols - the Primary's CTR emblem and white dresses.
The first story was about his experience with a mission president in New Zealand. The mission president wore a tietack inlayed with the CTR emblem that he had received in Arizona from a Navajo bishop. The president said he wore it because it helped him make right choices throughout the day. And often, missionaries would comment about the tietack and then show him their CTR ring.
Then Elder Perry shared the experience of attending the baptism of one of his granddaughters. During the program preceding the baptism, his granddaughter read a poem by her mother entitled: "My Three White Dresses." The dresses were the ones worn during her baby blessing, her baptismal dress and a temple dress, and were symbols of purity that help in making right choices.
"We are at a time in the history of the world when Satan is marshalling all his forces to lead the people off the strait and narrow path," he declared. "Fortunately, most of the members of the Church are clear about who it is that they will serve. Like Joshua of old, they proclaim, `As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord' (Joshua 24:15).
"I hope and pray that you great young people of the Church will have the courage to consistently Choose the Right! Moreover, I suggest that each of you find or create reminders to help you or your loved ones to choose the right."
He continued, "Even more important than physical reminders is to have the conviction deep down in our hearts to live the kind of life that will cause us to make the right choices, not only for peace and happiness in this world right now, but also for peace and happiness eternally."
