The story is told of a young man failing his senior year of high school. He took the SAT college admissions test only because he’d promised his mother he would — and was shocked when his score came back remarkably high.
Emboldened by the realization that he was much smarter than he previously believed, the young man began attending his classes and earning his teachers’ respect. He graduated high school, enrolled in community college and went on to attend an Ivy League university.
Years later, the young man learned that his high SAT score was sent to him in error — his actual score had been much lower. But by then, it didn’t matter. The young man had seen his true worth and unlocked his full potential.
Elder Brian K. Taylor, General Authority Seventy and president of the Church’s Utah Area, shared this story during his morning keynote address at the 2025 Utah Area Young Single Adult “Together in Christ” Conference on Saturday, Aug. 30.
The young man didn’t change because of a test score, Elder Taylor said; he changed because he saw himself differently. And it’s through Jesus Christ that an individual can see themself differently, recognizing the worth they always had, he added.
“[We] are redeemed because of the righteousness of the Redeemer,” Elder Taylor said. “Worthy is the Lamb. And because of His holy atoning sacrifice, we’re worth everything to Him and to our Heavenly Father.”
The Utah Area YSA Conference is currently bringing thousands of young single adult members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from across Utah to Salt Lake City.
The three-day event, held Aug. 29-31 mainly at the Salt Palace Convention Center, has so far featured keynote speakers such as Presiding Bishop Gérald Caussé and Sister Tamara W. Runia, first counselor in the Young Women general presidency; breakout sessions on topics like emotional wellness and Church history; and socializing activities such as dancing and karaoke.
The conference concludes Sunday, Aug. 31, with a devotional featuring President Jeffrey R. Holland, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Unchanging worth
During his keynote address, Elder Taylor explored variations of the word “worth,” including “worthless” and “unworthy.”
At one point, he displayed a container of dirt and a container of water. A clod pulled from the dirt container doesn’t seem worth very much, he said, before cleaning it in the water container — revealing a shining diamond beneath.
Outside circumstances might change, Elder Taylor said, such as covering a person in metaphorical mud. But their true worth never changes; they’re still a diamond underneath.
“Sometimes we need to wash ourselves and repent and go to the Savior, and He’ll wash us clean,” Elder Taylor said.
He also showed two drawings: a frowning stick figure with arrows pointing at it and a smiling figure with arrows pointing away from it. This is one of the “great keys” in life, Elder Taylor said — when individuals turn their focus inward, they tend to feel dark and discouraged, but when their focus is turned outward and upward to heaven, “things start to change.”
“Turn the arrows out, and think about God first,” Elder Taylor said, adding: “We don’t believe in ourselves first. We believe in God first.”
Elder Taylor also referenced the New Testament story of Christ feeding 5,000 people with a young boy’s five bread loaves and two fishes (see Matthew 14:15-21; Mark 6:35-44; Luke 9:12-17; John 6:5-14). It can feel unfair that some people have more “loaves and fishes” than others; but the Savior didn’t care how many loaves and fishes the boy had, Elder Taylor said. The miracle was in what Christ did with those loaves and fishes.
“Whatever I have, am I willing to turn it to the Lord and allow Him to multiply and magnify those loaves and fishes and create the miracles and feed thousands?” Elder Taylor asked, adding that Christ still would’ve fed the 5,000 even if the boy had fewer loaves and fishes.
Miracles don’t happen unless a person is willing to hand over their loaves and fishes, or whatever it is, to the Savior, Elder Taylor said. Heavenly Father “loves to multiply and magnify stuff. … And I testify that He will do that for you in your own lives.”
Elder Taylor closed with his testimony of Jesus Christ.
“I witness that He’s alive,” Elder Taylor said. “This isn’t a myth. This isn’t a legend. … This is God’s eternal plan of happiness for us, to be with Him and with His Son, Jesus Christ.”
