The youth theme for 2026 is found in Moses 6:34, when the Lord tells a fearful Enoch to open his mouth and assures, “My Spirit is upon you, wherefore all thy words will I justify; and the mountains shall flee before you, and the rivers shall turn from their course; and thou shalt abide in me, and I in you; therefore walk with me.”
Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman said, “Every time we open the scriptures, we have an opportunity to walk with Christ.” Young Men General President Timothy L. Farnes has pointed to Peter who left his boat to walk with Christ and said, “Miracles happen as people walk with Him.”
To help leaders and parents as they introduce, use and help youth internalize this scripture, I asked three teachers in religious education at Brigham Young University — Robbie Taggart, Cindy Sweat and John Sowa — for their advice about teaching the theme effectively.
Robbie Taggart
“Share personal experiences of when you felt young and inadequate and how the Lord helped you.
“As a young missionary, my companion and I were walking down a dusty road in northern Mexico when suddenly he stopped, looked at me seriously, and said, “In scripture, Jesus Christ promises He will be on my right hand and on my left. Well, I just realized that you have been walking next to me. You are the Lord’s representative and have fulfilled His promise today.”
“As we approached the home where we were going to teach, I felt no trepidation, only the sense that I was the Lord’s representative and on the Savior’s errand. Youth can feel similarly empowered as we share our personal experiences.”
Cindy Sweat
“Invite the youth to imagine they are going on a trip to a foreign country. Ask, “How would you stay safe and avoid getting lost?” They will soon realize the importance of having a friend or guide to travel with them.
“Explain that mortality is a foreign country for our spirits. We constantly face new experiences we have never had before. We can feel confused, afraid, and alone unless we seek heavenly help.
“The For the Strength of Youth guide teaches us to talk to God often through prayer. ‘Share your feelings with Him and listen for impressions from Him. Read His words in the scriptures. Think about all that He has done for you. Spend time in places and activities where His Spirit is present.’
“Testify to the youth that as they choose to walk with heavenly guidance they can proceed with confidence, protection, peace, and joy.”
John Sowa
“Remind youth of their responsibility to walk with others as the Lord walks with them.”
“President M. Russell Ballard once shared a story about a friend who had never owned a horse until he married a woman who loved horses.
“‘Wanting to impress his new bride, he announced one evening that he was going to the pasture to teach a colt how to be led. He weighed more than the colt. He knew more than the colt. He assumed all he would need to do was pull on the lead rope and sooner or later the colt would follow. . . . [But the harder he pulled] the colt planted his legs more firmly. . . . His wife, watching this process, finally suggested that instead of getting in front of the colt and pulling, he might try wrapping the rope around the colt and simply walking alongside. To my friend’s chagrin, it worked’ (’One More,' April 2005 general conference).
“Teach the youth that as they try to lead others, as the Savior would, walking with them will yield the best results.”
— Brother Bradley R. Wilcox is a professor in the Department of Ancient Scripture at Brigham Young University and former member of the Young Men general presidency
