As he stood before a congregation of Latter-day Saint youth in Oaxaca, Mexico, Young Men General President Timothy L. Farnes raised his hand high. “If you love Jesus, raise your hand,” he invited, recounting how his 3-year-old daughter once stood up on a full airplane and asked every passenger to do the same.
At first, he admitted, he felt a bit embarrassed on that plane — until his wife’s prompting caused him to raise his hand too.
After recounting that experience, the newly called Young Men general president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints watched hundreds of teens eagerly shoot their hands into the air in affirmation of their love for the Savior.
Aug. 21-24 marked President Farnes’ first international ministry assignment, and the message he brought was simple: Love Jesus Christ, know who you are, and turn to Him every day.
During his ministry, President Farnes and his wife, Sister Linsey Farnes, spoke in parent and youth devotionals, to small focus groups and in personal ministering visits to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The devotional and other information about his ministry was shared with the Church News by the Mexico Area communications coordinator.
Know who you are
From the outset of the Aug. 22 youth devotional, President Farnes centered his teaching on the divine identity of each young person.
“We’re sons and daughters of God,” President Farnes declared, emphasizing eternal identity matters more than anything else.
To make the point resonate, he invited all the youth to stand and say it out loud together. “Who are you?” he asked. In unison came the fervent response: “Sons and daughters of God.”
“This is what really matters,” he said.
President Farnes shared a tender experience with his own teenage daughter. One night, he asked her to identify what made her so incredible.
After a long silence, she finally answered through tears, “Dad, I’m amazing, I’m incredible because I’m a daughter of God.”
“She taught me that night what’s so important. Don’t get weighed down in comparison with others, what you do have and what you don’t have. But lean into who you are as sons and daughters of God,” he said. “That relationship with Jesus Christ will give you everything in life.”
Turn to Christ
In another analogy, President Farnes compared Satan to a small but ferocious piranha fish that lurks in dark, murky waters awaiting unwary prey.
In contrast, he held up a picture of “the Savior of the world,” who stands in pure light inviting all to come unto Him.
“He will guide the way every step,” he said, adding: “He will lift us up, give us peace, comfort us, give us strength.”
The way to receive His power, he said, pointing to Church President Russell M. Nelson, is to “embrace the joy of daily repentance.”
For President Farnes, repentance is not a negative or dramatic thing — it simply means to turn back toward God, and it can happen every day in small, joyful ways.
“When you pray, do you turn to God? That’s repentance. When you read the scriptures, are you looking to God? That’s repentance,” he said. “When you feel you should do something kind for somebody and you do it, you’re acting like God and that’s repentance.”
President Farnes then asked the audience again, “Who here loves Jesus?” and encouraged them: “Let’s turn every day, every day, every day to Jesus.”
Sister Farnes: Testimony of the Book of Mormon
Sister Farnes also spoke to the youth, directing her address to the “future missionaries and leaders of the Church.”
En route to Mexico, the Farneses’ flight was filled with missionaries headed to the Mexico Missionary Training Center, she said, which rekindled her own “missionary fire.”
She shared the story of a young missionary the Farneses served with as mission leaders in Brazil who, as a homeless teenager, wandered into a secondhand bookshop with only a few dollars to his name. He found a tattered book with no cover, bought it and began to read about Jesus Christ.
When he excitedly showed the book to a pastor of his church, he was told it was evil and to burn it. Feeling torn, the young man almost went through with burning the book — but he loved the feelings it brought and had spent all he had on it, so he could not destroy it.
Because of that courageous choice, “miracles started to happen” Sister Farnes recounted. He soon met Latter-day Saint missionaries who gave him a new copy of the Book of Mormon. Opening it, he realized it was the same book he had been reading and wept with joy.
“For the first time in his life, he knew that Heavenly Father loved him,” she said, adding: “He was baptized, went to the temple, and then he came to our mission. He couldn’t help but share the gospel with everyone, because he knew the power of the Book of Mormon.”
“Brothers and sisters, it can change all of our lives,” Sister Farnes affirmed to the youth, adding: “There is a power that will come into your life, and you will learn about our Savior, Jesus Christ. It’s a book about Him, His goodness, His character, His life given for you.”
She concluded by bearing witness to the youth that “Jesus Christ lives. He is your truest friend. He is my truest friend.”
Lessons learned from those present
The impact of the Farneses’ ministry to Oaxaca was evident in the reactions of the youth and leaders who attended.
Annet Martínez Altamirano, 15, of the Atoyac Ward, said in response to the Church News, “With the visit of President Timothy L. Farnes … I was able to strengthen my testimony of the love Jesus Christ has for me, of the Book of Mormon and of covenants.”
Nefi David Páez Pérez, 17, of the Etla Ward, Oaxaca México Brenamiel Stake, likewise described the devotional as “my most inspiring spiritual experience” as he prepares to serve a mission.
“As I saw President Farnes and listened to the message of hope he shared with the youth, he taught us that if each young person puts Jesus Christ first in their life, above everything else, the outcome will always be positive for us and for our future with Jesus Christ,” Nefi said. “I learned that with Jesus Christ going before us, we will always be more.”
Local Church leaders were equally grateful for the Christ-focused instruction President Farnes provided. President César Iván Jiménez, president of the Oaxaca México Atoyac Stake, said in response to Church News, “It strengthened our determination to walk with Christ and be His lifelong disciples.”
Alyson Huerta, a young woman who was asked to speak at a sacrament meeting President Farnes attended, explained that she “was super nervous and anxious.” But her bishop told her, “Sister, let the Spirit speak.”
After that counsel, she felt calm and prepared.
“When the sacrament [meeting] ended, President Timothy [Farnes] and his wife came down to congratulate me for my speech, and that made me feel eternally honored for that opportunity,” she said, adding: “I left recharged and with enormous joy towards my Heavenly Father and with a firmer testimony towards Him.”
Mateo Jiménez Ruiz, 15, had the opportunity to speak with President Farnes. He walked away feeling his testimony had been strengthened.
“Now I can testify about the gifts the Lord gives to men, such as reading the feelings of our hearts. He [President Farnes] knew I had a question and asked me if I had a question for him,” he said. “At that moment, I knew and I bear witness to the power of the priesthood and the gifts the Lord gives to His faithful servants.”
