For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, education is a religious responsibility; as such, the Church Educational System has been built to pursue that responsibility and develop disciples of Jesus Christ.
CES accomplishes this at larger institutions like Brigham Young University, electronically accessible programs like BYU–Pathway Worldwide, and gospel-centered curriculum found at seminary and institute classes wherever the Church is established, allowing students to thrive in and through their educational pursuits.
In this episode of the Church News podcast, guest host Sheri Dew, executive vice president of Deseret Management Corp. and a former member of the Relief Society general presidency, sits down with Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Elder Clark G. Gilbert, General Authority Seventy and Church commissioner of education. Together, they discuss the Church Educational System and the Church’s ongoing commitment to both spiritual and educational growth among the rising generation.
Listen to this episode of the Church News podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon, Spotify, bookshelf PLUS, YouTube or wherever you get podcasts.
Transcript:
Elder D. Todd Christofferson: I would hope this younger generation would have a sense of how much we care about them, how much we are working to help them and what we are investing — every kind of resource, including time and prayer and tears and love and everything that we can bring to pass. So I would say to that generation, to this generation that we care about so much, our manifestations, indications of concern and care and interest and love are just a fraction of what your Heavenly Father feels for you, and the Savior who gave His life for you, and the Holy Spirit who can and wants to be with you continually. Those things are real. Those are the basic fundamental truths of our existence. And for me, the most fundamental, really, is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The fact of His Resurrection is proof of all the rest.
1:06
Jon Ryan Jensen: This is Jon Ryan Jensen, editor of the Church News. Welcome to the Church News podcast. Today, we are taking you on a journey of connection as we discuss news and events of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In this special episode of the Church News podcast, guest host Sheri Dew — executive vice president of Deseret Management Corp. and a former member of the Relief Society general presidency — sits down with Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Elder Clark G. Gilbert, a General Authority Seventy and commissioner of Church education, to talk about the scope of the Church Educational System and the Church’s commitment to both spiritual and educational growth among the rising generation.
1:48
Sheri Dew: Well, thank you, Brethren, for the chance to visit today. We’re thrilled to have the privilege, so thank you for setting aside some time. You certainly have better things to do than this, but we’re grateful that you’d have this conversation.
Let’s start by setting the stage, if we could, maybe getting the lay of the land. You both have very significant responsibility for Church education, the Church Educational System. Elder Christofferson, you’re the chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees. Elder Gilbert, the commissioner of Church education.
So for listeners who probably don’t realize everything that that encompasses, can you just give us an idea of what does it include? Schools, programs, numbers of students, countries where you’re operating — help us appreciate the scope of what you’re doing.
2:42
Elder D. Todd Christofferson: It is a large and growing scope, I would say. We have part of this system — and it is a system; it works together across the world — the major universities, Brigham Young University in Provo, BYU–Idaho in Rexburg, BYU–Hawaii in Laie and then Ensign College here in Salt Lake City, BYU–Pathway Worldwide operating under the auspices of BYU–Idaho, and Ensign College is worldwide. It is really, I guess, in about 180 countries at the moment, with some almost 80,000 participants or students. So that is an online piece of the system, if you will, for certificates and degrees. And then seminaries and institutes, which, of course, is worldwide as well with our youth and young adults. So that is the broad content, if you will, of what we call the Church Educational System. And in numbers, it certainly continues to grow.
3:44
Sheri Dew: What would the numbers be in round numbers?
Elder Clark G. Gilbert: In total, there’s about a million students who are in one of the Church educational programs. So in the higher-ed in the campuses and in Pathway, higher-ed programs, 150,000. Then there’s almost 400,000 institute students, 450,000 seminary students. And then we have EnglishConnect and Succeed in School, and it’s a real investment by the Church. And this has since the Church’s early days been a priority of the Church. Gaining an education and improving oneself has been part of the Church’s priorities.
4:30
Sheri Dew: So, every year, the Church is investing a lot of money in educating our youth. But Pathway goes beyond students who are Latter-day Saints. Talk about that.
Elder D. Todd Christofferson: It does. It is primarily Latter-day Saints, but it is open to others, and we find significant numbers participating. And as they participate in Pathway courses, they often join in institute courses as well. So it is an activity that truly has a spiritual aspect to it. Well, all of the Church Educational System does; it is spiritually based. As Clark said, we see it as — and President Nelson has stated as much — education is a religious duty.
So those who participate, whether they are members of the Church or not, are very typically spiritually oriented, and institute is a nice adjunct to the coursework, online coursework, that is offered through Pathway. It just works together very well, as it does on our campuses. We’ve got the religion courses in the college campuses, institutes everywhere, on non-LDS campuses, so that people can get essentially a comparable spiritual experience, I guess you would say, wherever they are.
5:57
Sheri Dew: So, that leads to an interesting phenomena, it seems to me. In the U.S., but actually globally, we see this trend that individuals of all ages, but especially younger individuals — let’s say 30 and under, even 40 and under — are less and less interested in organized religion and are in many cases rejecting it. And yet your numbers in CES are growing.
So what’s happening throughout the Church to create this phenomenon? What are you seeing where you are absolutely immersed in what’s happening inside of CES?
6:33
Elder D. Todd Christofferson: Well, it is an encouraging phenomenon, to be honest with you, and you are right; in Gen Z and some of the other age groups, there is a declining interest, generally speaking, in organized religion. But in the Church and in the Church Educational System, we are seeing the opposite. The trends are all upward, and there are various reasons for it. You can speak to some of the things that we are doing to make it more appealing.
6:59
Elder Clark G. Gilbert: Yeah, it is really interesting to watch. People will hear a story about someone who’s stopped going to church or is losing their faith, and then they’ll hear this national data around Gen Z, and they’ll think, “Oh, everyone’s leaving the Church.” But it just couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, young people are flocking to their faith and our Church at record levels. And I’ll just give you a couple of examples.
Seminary this year, over 57% of all youth were registered for seminary and attending seminary. It’s the highest percentage in the history of the Church. So when you hear these narratives of, “Oh, people are losing their faith” or “They’re not engaged in church,” the highest percentage ever in the history of the Church are attending seminary. That’s also true of institute. So this year, we had the highest number of institute students and the highest percentage ever in the history of the Church. And then some people say, “Well, it’s just the Africans,” because BYU–Pathway is growing in Africa at amazing rates. But it’s right here in the U.S. institutes — the University of Utah, Arizona State, the institutes in the U.S. are growing. And then even as institute is growing, our campuses are growing.
This fall, every single Church university was up at record enrollment rates. BYU–Idaho had the largest enrolled class ever in its history. So something is definitely happening in the hearts and minds of these young people, and I think Elder Christofferson will reflect on some of the spiritual reasons for it. I just would say one thing we see is young people want safe havens to practice and gather with other people of faith. And they feel that when they come to seminary, they feel that when they go to an institute in a campus that might not always reinforce their values and their beliefs. And for many of them, they say, “I want to be on a Church campus, where I can have that strength.”
And this is not a naive hiding from the world. The world is all around us, but they want a place where their values and their belief can be reinforced and they can safely grow in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
9:33
Elder D. Todd Christofferson: And we see, in a broader way, this happening with religious education outside the Church. You see it in Jewish schools, Catholic schools, Evangelicals, whatever. There is a movement, not quite as dramatic as we are seeing here in the Church Educational System, but it is broad. And I think some of it is attributable to what has been done to enhance the institute experience, for example, and the seminary experience.
But I think underlying all of it is the Lord moving with His people, and especially in this generation. You will recall President Russell M. Nelson this past October general conference talked about preparing for the Lord’s return. And among other things, he said I hope we are not missing the majesty of the moment here and that the Lord is, with temples and everything else, is working to build or prepare a people to prepare the world for the Savior’s return. And I think this is part of that.
We take too much credit for ourselves sometimes. The Lord is working. The Spirit is working in this generation, and they feel it. You see them, for example, what did I hear the other day? Half the workers in the Rexburg Idaho Temple are students at BYU–Idaho, and that is just one indicator that shows you what is happening in their spiritual lives. So I believe that maybe we could take a little credit for having something that is worthwhile and appealing to them, but in the end, I believe they are turning to the Lord. Their faith is growing. They respond to the Spirit and to spiritual promptings.
And it is a generation, I think, that is more and more attuned to the holy life and to the whole plan of life as our Heavenly Father has established it. They are reacting to it in a very, very positive way.
11:44
Sheri Dew: So it’s part, really, of the Lord hastening His work, and we see this generation coming along.
Elder Clark G. Gilbert: There’s no question. I’ll give you an example. We did a multiyear study of how to make institute more accessible and engaging for young adults. And a lot of great insights came out of that. We expanded the hours of institute so students in Manila and Hong Kong, they have institute classes at 11 o’clock at night.
Sheri Dew: Because it works for them.
Elder Clark G. Gilbert: Yeah. And they wanted more relevance, and we changed some of the curriculum to be right around issues that related to their lives. But as we were doing all of these focus groups and survey analysis, one thing was really clear across all young adults, across the Church: They were coming to institute because they wanted to deepen their relationship with the Savior.
And so yes, we’re trying to be more relevant and more accessible and do things that will help them. But at the heart, it was the students who wanted a relationship with Jesus Christ. And when Elder Christofferson says there’s something happening right now as we prepare for the return of the Savior, and you used the word there’s a “hastening” happening, we also think some of what’s happening in all of these settings, young adults and youth, is temple covenants. And we think our young people are going to the temple. They’re entering the temple, they’re making covenants.
Elder D. Todd Christofferson: And they’re serious about those covenants in all aspects of their lives.
13:28
Elder Clark G. Gilbert: So I think the proximity of temples, President Nelson’s teaching of covenants in temples, there’s fruits to that, those efforts, and they’re showing up just, I think, we feel like one of the many ways they’re showing up is through participation in Church education. But there’s a deeper phenomenon happening, and we think it is the hastening, and we think it is temple covenants and just a generation who’s looking at the world and saying, “I don’t think that’s the way. I don’t think there’s happiness there, and there’s something deeper.” And these youth are smart, and these young adults are smart, and they’re turning back to religion. They’re turning back to a relationship with Jesus Christ, and they want to be in these settings, and it’s an amazing thing to behold. And we’re trying to respond with resources.
14:23
Elder D. Todd Christofferson: Yeah, we’re trying to support them. We, like in the Quorum of the Twelve, we have been speaking and visiting institutes and large groups of this age group, this age generation around the U.S., but everywhere in the world as we can.
Sheri Dew: Say more about that.
Elder D. Todd Christofferson: It was earlier this year, I was, as an example, at the Red Mountain Institute, we call it — it is in Mesa, Arizona — it is not connected particularly to any individual campus. It is close to many of the participants are students at Mesa Community College, I think. But I was just blown away with the numbers that were there when we had a devotional. They filled the chapel, the classrooms and the hallways, it seemed like. But there was an energy there, great vibrant energy and spiritual energy, and it was a highlight for me. I will never forget that experience.
And it is interesting; Sister Camille Johnson was at that same institute just a couple months ago, I think, and had the same experience, our Relief Society general president. Later at Weber State University, and then just a couple weeks ago at Snow College. They are the same experience. You feel it when you walk in the room, but we are trying to support them and be with them. There was one week this year where we had five members of the Twelve in the same week at different institutes around the country.
15:54
Elder Clark G. Gilbert: The commitment from the Quorum of the Twelve to this generation is exceptional of all the places they could be and of all the responsibilities they have. He said that one night, we had five of the Twelve speaking in institutes across the country, and it’s inspiring to see. And the young adults feel it. They feel they’re a priority, and they want to be around prophet, seers and revelators, and the response to these devotionals has been remarkable.
16:25
Elder D. Todd Christofferson: Well, it’s a good way to say it. They are a priority, from our standpoint. And we are devoting, as you said, a lot of resources, financial and so forth. But I think the most important are the spiritual resources responding to the spiritual needs and desires that we see there.
It is not only the young adults, though; we are going all the way down through the age groups into elementary schools and junior highs. And I am not talking about institute; I am talking about the programs such as seminary, but additional efforts in Africa, primarily, but around the world increasingly, of what we call “Succeed in School.”
And it succeeds because it is simple. This is operated under the auspices of seminaries and institutes, our S&I program, but this gathers younger students — members of the Church primarily but, again, others who want to join them — after-school hours for an hour or two of mentoring and teaching the very basics — the math, those writing skills and so on — that they are not getting adequately in their public education, and so with their parents’ support, they come for an extra hour or so, and then typically a seminary class is combined with the evening. Members are called to teach these. S&I has a great curriculum for anyone who is willing to teach these basic skills.
And so they really do improve in secular material, but there is the spiritual element combined with it, which is why it succeeds, I think. But we are seeing in many places in Africa, their scores on national exams, really, have soared just with that little extra attention that supplements in a very important way what they are getting in school. So we are not setting up schools, but we are helping them really succeed in the schools where they are.
18:29
Sheri Dew: So it’s like tutoring, in a way. It’s like a little measure of group tutoring.
Elder Clark G. Gilbert: Yeah. And then there’s a social dynamic, which is we’re signaling to the young people of the Church, the youth of the Church: “Education matters. We care about you, and we care about learning.”
Elder D. Todd Christofferson: They go together, the spiritual and the education are connected.
18:54
Elder Clark G. Gilbert: Even in seminary, we mentioned that we’re seeing a record percentage of the Church attending seminary, higher than ever in the Church’s history, and we’ve tried to respond with the resources to help this right growing number of students, and just like the Succeed in School program, the seminary curriculum, this year, the First Presidency approved some changes to put life resources into the instruction for youth across the Church.
Sheri Dew: Such as?
Elder Clark G. Gilbert: Time management, college preparation, emotional resilience, mental health, physical health, mission preparation, temple preparation and life skills, but still, scripture based, Christ centered in a seminary class, and the youth just love it. One, they need these resources. They know these are going to help them. And two, they’re so confident when they realize their faith, their Church, has something to teach them, to help them, in these areas that is unique and different from the world. And the initial response to adding this, we still are —
Elder D. Todd Christofferson: It does not replace the scriptural foundation of seminary; supplements.
20:14
Elder Clark G. Gilbert: Still sequential scripture tied to “Come, Follow Me” three days a week, but two days a week they have curriculum that’s focused on these life skills. And boy do we need it across the Church. And just imagine every youth in this entire Church getting trained on how to involve the Lord in their education, getting training on emotional resilience and how to work through anxiety and depression, and how to help a friend who’s doing that, and how to prepare for the temple.
And again, someone might look at this and say, “Well, this is making seminary more relevant. More students want to come.” We look at it and say, “The Lord’s gathering these young people together. How do we put resources in their lives that He wants them to have at this time?”
21:08
Sheri Dew: So, one of the things that I’m hearing, though, is an incredible emphasis from the senior leaders of the Church. Elder Christofferson, you sit in the Quorum of the Twelve. You mentioned Sister Camille Johnson, the general president of the Relief Society, the commissioner of Church education, all the way up to the First Presidency, who presides over the Board of Trustees.
Elder D. Todd Christofferson: That is right. They are the officer.
Sheri Dew: So, incredible attention from the most senior leaders in the Church about our youth, on down to our children, saying we need to give them the tools that will help them, spiritual and temporal.
21:47
Elder D. Todd Christofferson: Yeah, and we are blessed with resources to do that at the moment. We can build as many temples as fast as we can get contractors to put them on, we can open missions — 36 last year, new missions — we could really invest in our people and the young people in this generation and their education and their spiritual development. So this is one of the reasons there is a Church to start with, why it is not just every person with a singular spiritual relationship with God and no association with other people. There is a reason that Christ established a Church, and it is to support one another in this way, among other things.
So it is exciting to be a part of it. It is exciting to see it. I think I am younger now because of the association; I get energized with these contacts and association with the young people. But it is something you said a moment ago: The focus is involving the Lord in your education, in your life, but in your education as part of your life. And it is — I don’t know; it is not necessarily automatic. I think we can emphasize education, and we do, and some people say, “Well, college is not for me” or “Higher education is not for me” or “I am in debt. I don’t want to get into debt to go into higher-ed,” and so forth.
So those are real concerns. And we would say, “Pursue higher education, but the right higher education for the person.” For some, it is going to be vocational and the trades. For some, it is going to be college and academia. For some, it may be another approach that continues to expand their mind and their capacities and their talents and abilities. And if they will involve the Lord, then we can help them with all of — the even the logistical things.
When you think about it, we have got in our stakes now in the Utah Area, for example, education specialists who will coach and in each of the wards help members coach young people on what educational opportunities there are beyond high school and how to afford them, how to do it in a way that doesn’t put you in debt and what options you have. Every interest can be accommodated, I think, so we invest in that way so that it is not just get more education; it is: “Let’s get the right package for you. Let’s tailor it for you.”
24:26
Sheri Dew: So you’ve touched on some of the real-life issues that you’re trying to help address as part of a spiritual foundation of education. When we think about our youth today, youth and young adults, or they just face certain kinds of challenges today that are unique, certainly unique from when I was their age, but probably unique from even 20 years ago. We talk so much about mental health, as we should, and hear so much about anxiety. And I think I’ve been anxious about things my whole life, but probably not in the same way.
So when you look at our youth and young adults, and especially young adults that are now in this most critical phase, they’re deciding not just who they’re going to marry but even if they’re going to get married, how they’re going to earn a living, what kind of a family structure they want to create and what kind of people they want to be.
What worries you the most for them, in behalf of them, when you look at everything they’re dealing with that we probably didn’t deal with at their age?
25:30
Elder D. Todd Christofferson: One aspect of it, I guess you could say, is distraction. There is so much at their fingertips, literally and figuratively, that can draw their attention, so many voices, so many competing voices, so much that would draw them or anyone away from the Spirit, away from that personal, individual spiritual guidance that comes quietly and in quiet moments. And so, such a cacophony of voices around them that they have to learn to intentionally find time to be with God, so to speak.
I was thinking of an interview I heard years ago on the radio of Bishop Desmond Tutu, the Anglican archbishop in South Africa, and the interviewer asked a very perceptive question. He says, “Has anything changed in the way you pray over the years?” And he said, “Yes. As a matter of fact, it has. Earlier in my life, my prayers were a list, long list of things I needed or problems I wanted to have solved. And now more often, I am quiet.”
And he said, “Sit with the Lord.” He said, “It is like a fire in winter. It warms you. You don’t have to be anybody special. It just warms you.” And I thought, “What a beautiful metaphor.” The quiet time in prayer or meditation and studying the scriptures in seminaries, in institute classes and in conversations with friends, but times where you really shut the world out, so to speak, or at least concentrate on what the Lord is trying to communicate to you.”
It is more and more of an effort, I think, to find that in your life or create it consistently in your life. President Nelson spoke about this. His very first message as President of the Church was about personal revelation, and he talked about finding a sacred grove kind of place for yourself where you can go often. He said when you can just focus on communication and getting what the Lord would have you receive, that is still valid instruction, and it is just harder now for people of any age, but young adults especially, who have less experience. So his counsel is good. I think we just have to keep emphasizing and helping them learn how to do that.
28:21
Sheri Dew: Beautiful. Elder Gilbert, anything to add?
Elder Clark G. Gilbert: Well, that talk Elder Christofferson referenced, the first message from President Nelson, at the end, he said in the coming days, it will be impossible to survive spiritually without the guiding, nurturing, strengthening influence of the Holy Ghost. And I think this generation has so much coming at them, like Elder Christofferson said, and not only is it noise, but so much of it’s not true. We mentioned this narrative that people are leaving the Church in record numbers, when the data says just the opposite. But that’s just one of many mistruths this rising generation has to live with. They get told things that aren’t true about marriage, about gender, about testimony, and I think President Nelson knew they would need the Holy Ghost in their lives.
Sheri Dew: And one of the things we’re encouraged by is they are going to the temple, they are coming to seminary, they’re in institute and on a Church campus. But one of the many fruits of that is that they’re learning how to listen and be quiet and calm and hear the Holy Ghost, and they’ll need that at this time. And you say, “What’s different from when we were younger?” Things that were so obvious, even to people who were mildly religious now are confusing and debated.
Elder Clark G. Gilbert: To like everybody, or to lots of people.
Sheri Dew: To everyone, yeah. And President Nelson’s reminder that you will need the Holy Ghost to discern truth. In fact, he said, “To survive spiritually.” And so my worry is that they’ll be misled. My hope and encouragement is so many are getting the Holy Ghost and It’s teaching them what’s really true.
30:21
Sheri Dew: So let’s do the flip side. And you touched on it, Elder Christofferson, talking about, was it Red Mountain? Red Mountain Institute, with the experience you’re having with our youth. What gives you the greatest hope about this generation?
30:36
Elder D. Todd Christofferson: For me, at least one of the things is the fact that they crave that kind of spiritual guidance. They crave that relationship through the Spirit with the Savior. They are pursuing it. It is not like, “Gee, something’s missing in my life.” They know what it is; they know what they need, I should say; and they are pursuing it actively. They are coming. Nobody forces them to come to institute or seminary or — well, maybe your mom or dad help a little bit at times — but they are drawn by the Spirit. They respond to It, I guess. I don’t know if that is different from past generations. It seems to me like it is maybe a little more intense, a little more common, I guess, or widespread. But that is encouraging.
31:29
Elder Clark G. Gilbert: I just agree with Elder Christofferson. You just see them, and you see them coming. I was in a YSA state conference in Lethbridge, Canada, recently, and every bishopric had young adults in it. The High Council was full of young adults. The engagement they had in building and serving each other, and it’s just inspiring. And there are those who struggle. It wouldn’t be accurate to say, even though the numbers are up and the enrollment is growing that there aren’t young adults and youth who struggle, who have faith questions.
But what’s amazing is how many find their way back to realize it is the Church and a testimony in the Church that they can anchor on. And so not only are young adults coming to institute, but those who have struggled are finding their way back. And I just wish members of the Church could come with us on our Saturday ministering visits. Almost every stake conference I go to, we’re out ministering to some family or young couple or an individual who struggled with their faith, and they find their way back.
And President Nelson said the truth is it’s much harder to find happiness where it doesn’t exist. But when you yoke yourself to Jesus Christ, He and He alone does have the power to bring you to the joy you need in your life. And we see that. And so there are a lot of young adults who figure that out before they ever leave. But even those who struggle for a season, they realize the happiness isn’t outside of the gospel, and they find their way back. And that gives me hope over and over and over again as I see it play out in the lives of so many young people.
33:24
Sheri Dew: If you were sitting with a mother or dad or a bishop or a good friend of someone who’s really struggling, what would you counsel them to do? Let’s say it’s a young adult who’s really struggling. How would you counsel them to work with them or to interact with them?
33:43
Elder D. Todd Christofferson: Well, you had better love them. You had better start, and that should permeate everything else in your relationship. If they feel that, then you can help. If they don’t, it is very hard for them to respond to whatever counsel you want to give. It has to be genuine, and it is a spiritual gift, frankly. It says in Moroni, this charity, the pure love of Christ, is something that we can pray for and receive. If we are disciples, we are entitled to have that. So it is all based in that. But I think what we are trying to say is there are tremendous resources available to anyone and everyone struggling or cruising, it does not matter. That is why we are here.
That is why we put the investment we do into Church education and all its ramifications. And there are other resources as well that the Church can make available and does make available on the Gospel Library app and everything else. But if they feel that love and the genuine interest in them and a degree of patience, basically saying, “Walk with me. You don’t have to have all the answers immediately. You don’t have to have the solutions to everything in this moment,” try the path the Lord has outlined, and you will find in due course that it works, that it really is the source of happiness, that everything else disappoints in the end. I think that is another thing President Nelson said; everything else is a disappointment. This is where you are going to find what you really are hoping for.
35:27
Sheri Dew: And he’s saying that after having lived 100 years, saying, “This is what I’ve learned.” Elder Gilbert, anything to add on that?
Elder Clark G. Gilbert: I love that we start with love, and nothing’s going to matter if they don’t feel you care about them. The other thing is to live the gospel; shine a light, be a good example, treat them with empathy, be concerned about things in their life, even that don’t have to do with church but matter to them.
35:58
Elder D. Todd Christofferson: If I could interrupt you, I think that is a very good point to emphasize. Be a rock yourself. Be that stable example that when they are prepared and ready, they can look to that will be a guide for them. Some people feel like, “Well, if this person is struggling, I have to go with them and be with them,” and you don’t do them a lot of service if you are trying to mirror their conduct in an effort to try to be a buddy or a friend. You need to be the example, the standard, the rock on which they can later build, or show them how to build on the rock of Christ, is what it really is. But you have got to be that example, that covenant keeper, that will inspire them when they are ready, where they can go, where the help is.
36:45
Elder Clark G. Gilbert: On that point, President Nelson said if you want to help someone who’s struggling, live your covenants. And Sister [Tamara W.] Runia has said, “Stay at the tree.” Beckon them back to the tree, but don’t leave the tree. And I think that would be love them, serve them, live your covenants, and then put them to work. So many people sit there and worry and wonder and struggle with things in their life, and if they just serve other people. That’s one of the things I’m so encouraged about, is seeing how much the young people of the Church are being engaged in the youth program, where we’re having them teach, we’re having them serve each other.
I mentioned the YSA units that are putting the young adults to work, and if they just live the gospel, serve other people, they’re going to feel something. And then, boy, for that parent or friend who’s just wept over worry, just to have hope, because they do come back. They don’t find happiness outside of the gospel, and It might take longer than any of us would like, but have hope and be patient and trust the Lord and His timeline, and He cares about them more than we do, even as loving parents and youth leaders and friends and siblings. And as Elder [Patrick] Kearon said “God is in relentless pursuit” of His children, and that’s true. Trust that He’s trying to get to them too. And in so many cases, it will happen.
38:32
Elder D. Todd Christofferson: Don’t forget the power in prayer. It has an impact that probably does not come any other way. We cannot be with people we love all the time and be there at their side, helping them at every moment. But the Spirit can, and the Lord can, through prayer, our prayers, in response to our prayers, make a powerful difference in them and change us too in the process so that we are better. But I would just underline one thing you said, and that is: Get involved. Get outside yourself, I think, would be a counsel, my counsel to many young people who are really despondent about whatever and struggling.
Try not to be so inward focused. Get out of yourself and serve, whether it is just something you are called to do or you invent. You find a need. That is this Light the World campaign we have every Christmas. Just find somebody who needs help, and there are plenty around, and do what you can. You can’t change the world entirely, but you can light and help and make a difference. And when you start focusing outwardly and seeing what you can do that would bless somebody else, your life changes, obviously, as well.
39:53
Elder Clark G. Gilbert: Sheri, I have a young adult daughter. We were doing a “Come, Follow Me” lesson with our girls at home, and the young adult daughter was home for the weekend, and we were talking about testimony. And to your point, Elder Christofferson, the girls were like, “Well, you get a testimony by going to church and reading the scriptures.” And this young adult daughter said, “If you want a testimony, help other people who are struggling, and you’ll feel God in their life and His concern for them, and you’ll know He’s there. And I thought, “Wow, I wish I had thought of that as a response,” but this is such an important part of anchoring testimony, is serving other people.
40:40
Sheri Dew: So to conclude, you’ve been so generous with your time, thank you. Elder Gilbert, is there anything else you’d like to say? And then, Elder Christofferson, perhaps concluding with any concluding counsel or words of testimony.
40:52
Elder Clark G. Gilbert: I’d just say to all of us who love and admire and work with young adults and youth, trust them. In the Doctrine and Covenants, Section 58, it says the power is in them, and let them have responsibility. Put them in places where they have to use their agency to think, to act, to serve other people. Put them to work in your family, in a calling. They want to be engaged. They want opportunities to serve, and when they do, they will feel something deeper. President Nelson has told the young adults first, and then he told the whole Church, “Take charge of your testimony.” In fact, he used the word “plead.”
And we always pay attention when the Prophet says, “I plead with you.” And he said to the young adults in his worldwide message to them, “I plead with you to take charge of your testimony. Work for it. Own it. [Feed it.] Nurture it so that it will grow.” And I have so much confidence in this generation. It is hard. What they’re facing is hard, but the Lord is pouring out blessings, resources and His Spirit in unprecedented ways. And we see that happening, and it’s inspiring. And so yes, this is a challenging time, but counter to the narrative, our young people are rising up in record numbers, and we can take confidence in them, and it can inspire us to be better ourselves. And the Lord is doing something powerful. He’s hastening the work, and one of the ways He’s doing it is through the future of this Church, which are youth and are young adults, and it’s inspiring to see what’s happening in their lives.
42:49
Elder D. Todd Christofferson: Thank you. I agree. I would hope this younger generation would have a sense of how much we care about them, how much we are working to help them and what we are investing — every kind of resource, including time and prayer and tears and love and everything that we can bring to pass. Elder Gilbert, he does not even sleep at night; he is just so constant. How do you do it? He is a whirlwind of effort. And he is just everywhere trying to strengthen the Church Educational System and guide it appropriately.
And he is one of thousands. I love our university and college leaders. They are the best. They really are. They are exciting people, they are deep, they are strong, and they are fun. And we’re pouring in our time as general authorities. We are doing everything we can to invest in them and to help them succeed. And we know it is one by one; they it is not just like a group succeeds or a generation succeeds, it is every individual, but it has to be the focus, one by one, and that is, I think, one thing that we are increasingly good at in Church education, and that is more of an individual focus in institute and seminary and even in universities where it is not so easy always.
But to make sure that we are looking out for the ninety and nine and the one to the full extent that we can. And that only reflects — that is not to praise ourselves — that just reflects where the Lord is with them, and He is moving us to be more attentive and to make a greater, stronger investment with them. They have a crucial role to play in all that is happening in the Lord’s plan and this dispensation, and as we are hastening toward the end, toward the conclusion of that, they are crucial. Their role is crucial. Individually, each one matters, and it is not just for what they are contributing, although that is crucial and vital, but it is because they have infinite worth. Every one of them.
We do all our ordinances one by one because everybody matters, and we don’t do a group baptism; one by one, name by name, every person is infinitely valuable in the Lord’s eyes. So that is, I think, a lot of what we are trying to do is help them see that, but that is how the Lord views them, and they begin to appreciate that and react accordingly. So I would say to that generation, to this generation that we care about so much, our manifestations, indications of concern and care and interest and love are just a fraction of what your Heavenly Father feels for you, and the Savior who gave His life for you, and the Holy Spirit who can and wants to be with you continually. Those things are real. Those are the basic fundamental truths of our existence.
And for me, the most fundamental, really, is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The fact of His Resurrection is proof of all the rest. It’s the evidence, the conclusive evidence that God lives, that Jesus is His divine Son, that He can fulfill every promise, He has all power on earth and heaven. And there is where we turn. That is the great encompassing reality of existence, and that is a blessing I feel in my life, to be able to spend my whole life testifying of the truth of those things, and I do, in this moment as well. And I would think — I know I speak for the First Presidency and the Twelve in saying this — that we pray for them and, in the name of Christ, we bless them. And I do so now, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
47:15
Jon Ryan Jensen: Thank you for listening to the Church News podcast. I’m your host, Church News editor Jon Ryan Jensen. I hope you learned something today about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and had your faith in the Savior increase by looking through the Church News window as a living record of the Restoration. Please subscribe, rate and review this podcast so it can be accessible to more people. And if you enjoyed the messages we shared today, please share the podcast with others. Thanks to our guests; to my producer, KellieAnn Halvorsen; and to others who make this podcast possible. Join us every week for a new episode. Find us on your favorite podcasting channels or with other news and updates about the Church on TheChurchNews.com or on the Church News app.
