President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, bore testimony Sunday morning of the sacred work of teaching Heavenly Father’s children the simple doctrine of Jesus Christ — “which allows us to be spiritually cleansed and ultimately be welcomed into God’s presence ... .”
Speaking from the Conference Center in downtown Salt Lake City for the 194th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sunday morning, Oct. 6, President Eyring noted, “All of us have family members we love who are being tempted and tried by the seemingly constant forces of Satan, the destroyer, who would make all God’s children miserable.”
Many have had sleepless nights, pleaded in prayer and tried to surround loved ones who are at risk with every force for good.
When the prophet Alma faced similar trials, the scriptures state: “And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just — yea, it had ... more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them — therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God” (Alma 31:5).
President Eyring explained that the word of God is the doctrine taught by Jesus Christ and His prophets.
In Doctrine and Covenants 18, the Savior offers “the perfect example” of how individuals should teach His doctrine. “This doctrine is that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end blesses all of God’s children.”
As Latter-day Saints teach these principles to those they love, the Holy Ghost will help them to know the truth. President Eyring warned, “Because we need the promptings of the Holy Ghost, we must avoid speculation or personal interpretation that goes beyond teaching true doctrine.”
The Holy Ghost will reveal the spirit of truth only as teachers are cautious about not going beyond teaching true doctrine. “One of the surest ways to avoid even getting near false doctrine is to choose to be simple in our teaching. Safety is gained by that simplicity,” President Eyring said.
Teaching simply enables individuals to share doctrine while children remain untouched by the deceiver’s temptations that will later confront them, “long before the truths they need to learn are drowned out by the noise of social media, peers and their own personal struggles,” President Eyring said, adding, “We should seize every opportunity to share the teachings of Jesus Christ with children.”
These teaching moments are far fewer than the efforts of the opposing forces, President Eyring noted. “For every hour spent instilling doctrine into a child’s life, there are countless hours of opposition filled with messages and images that challenge or ignore these saving truths.”
Some may wonder if it is better to draw closer to children through having fun. “Instead, we should consider, ‘With so little time and so few opportunities, what words of doctrine can I share that will strengthen them against the inevitable challenges to their faith?’ The words you share today could be the ones they carry with them, and today will soon pass,” President Eyring said.
As individuals do their best to teach those they love about the doctrine of Christ, some may still not respond. “Doubts may creep into your mind. You might question whether you know the Savior’s doctrine well enough to teach it effectively. ... Don’t give in to those doubts. Turn to God for help,” President Eyring encouraged.
Pray, talk to God and plead for loved ones, he urged. “If you thank Him not only for help but for the patience and gentleness that come from not receiving all you desire right away or perhaps ever, then I promise you that you will draw closer to Him. You will become diligent and long-suffering. And then you can know that you have done all that you can to help those you love and those you pray for navigate through Satan’s attempt to derail them.”
Individuals can find hope through the example of scriptural families, such as Enos, Alma the Younger and the sons of Mosiah. “In their moments of crisis, they remembered the words of their parents, words of the doctrine of Jesus Christ. Remembering saved them. Your teaching of that sacred doctrine will be remembered,” President Eyring promised.
