Dear brethren, I am humbled by the privilege I have to speak to you, the bearers of the priesthood of God throughout the Church today. President Monson once said (quote): "The world can at times be a frightening place in which to live. The moral fabric of society seems to be unraveling at an alarming speed. None--whether young or old or in-between--is exempt from exposure to those things which have the potential to drag us down and destroy us. ... But we need not despair. We are waging a war with sin. It is a war we can and will win. Our Father in Heaven has given us the tools we need in order to do so" (close quote). All of us are faced with this war daily. The enemy and his angels are trying to distract us. Their purpose is to divert us from the covenants that we have made with the Lord, causing us to lose sight of our eternal inheritance. They know our Heavenly Father's plan for His children, for they were with us in that great Council in Heaven when it was all presented.

They try to take advantage of our weaknesses, deceiving us with "mists of darkness ... which blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads that they perish and are lost." Despite the opposition we face, President Monson has taught that this is a war we can and will win. The Lord trusts in our capacity and determination to do so.

The scriptures contain countless examples of those who have won their wars, even in the midst of very hostile situations. One of these examples is Captain Moroni in the Book of Mormon. This remarkable young man had the courage to defend the truth at a time when there were many dissensions and wars, which put at risk the very survival of the Nephite nation. Though successful in exercising his responsibilities, Moroni remained humble.

This and other attributes made him an extraordinary instrument in the hands of God.

Alma declared, "If all men had been, ... were, and ever would be, like ... Moroni, ... the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; [and] the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men." Moroni's attributes stem from his great faith in God and His Son, Jesus Christ, and his firm determination to follow the voice of God and His prophets. Figuratively, all of us need to become modern Captain Moronis in order to win the wars against evil.

I know a very faithful young deacon who became a modern Captain Moroni.

Though he has sought to follow the counsel of his parents and Church leaders, his faith and determination have been tested every day, even at his young age. He told me one day he was surprised by a very difficult and embarrassing situation.

His friends were accessing pornographic images on their cell phones.

In that exact moment, he had to decide what was most important--his popularity or his righteousness.

Immediately filled with courage, he told his friends that what they were doing was wrong.

He said they should stop doing it or they would become slaves to it.

Most of his classmates ridiculed his counsel, saying it was a part of life and that there was nothing wrong with it. However, there was one among them who listened and decided to abandon the practice.

This deacon's example had a positive influence on at least one of his classmates. Of course, he and his friends were mocked and persecuted for that decision. On the other hand, they had followed the admonition of Alma to his people when he said, "Come ye out from the wicked, and be ye separate, and touch not their unclean things." The pamphlet For the Strength of Youth contains the following counsel from the First Presidency (quote): "You are responsible for the choices you make. God is mindful of you and will help you make good choices, even if your family and friends use their agency in ways that are not right.

Have the moral courage to stand firm in obeying God's will, even if you have to stand alone. As you do this, you set an example for others to follow" (close quote). The war between good and evil will continue throughout our lives, since the adversary's purpose is to make all people as miserable as he is. Satan and his angels will try to shroud and control our thoughts, tempting us to sin. If they can, they will corrupt all that is good.

Nevertheless, we must understand that they only have power over us if we allow it. The scriptures also contain examples of those who so permitted the adversary and ended up being confused and destroyed, like Nehor, Korihor, and Sherem.

We must be alert to this danger. We cannot allow ourselves to be confused by popular messages that are easily accepted by the world and that contradict the doctrine and true principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Many of these worldly messages represent nothing more than an attempt by our society to justify sin. We need to remember that in the end, all will stand before God and Jesus Christ to be judged of our works, whether they be good or evil.

As we encounter these worldly messages, great courage and a solid understanding of Heavenly Father's plan will be required to choose the right. We can do it if we seek the Lord and place all our trust and faith in Him. But as the scriptures teach, we must have a sincere heart and real intent. Then the Lord, in His infinite mercy, will manifest the truth unto us "by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." This knowledge is our testimony. It propels our faith and determination to follow the teachings of the restored gospel, regardless of the popular messages of the world.

Our testimony will shield us against the fiery darts of the adversary.

It will guide us safely through the darkness and confusion that exist in the world today.

I learned this principle while serving as a young missionary.

My companion and I were in a very small and faraway branch of the Church. We tried to speak with every person in the city.

They received us very well, but they liked to debate the scriptures and asked us for concrete evidence regarding the truthfulness of our teachings.

I recall that each time we set out to try to prove something to people, the Spirit of God left and we felt lost and confused.

We felt we should align our testimony more strongly with teaching the truths of the gospel.

From that time on, when we bore testimony with all our hearts, a silent, confirming power filled the room and there was no space for confusion or argument.

I learned that no evil forces are capable of confusing, deceiving, or subverting the power of the faith and sincere testimony of a true disciple of Jesus Christ. As the Savior Himself taught, the adversary desires to sift us as wheat, causing us to lose our ability to influence the world for good. My dear brethren, because of the wave of confusion and doubts being promoted by the world today, we must hold ever more tightly to our testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

Then will our ability to defend truth greatly increase. We will win the daily battles, and rather than fall on life's battlefields, we will rally others to the Master's standards.

I invited all to find safety in the teachings contained in the scriptures. Captain Moroni aligned his faith in God and his testimony of the truth to the knowledge and wisdom found in the scriptures. In this way, he trusted that he would receive the blessings of the Lord and would obtain many victories, and he did. I invite all to find safety in the wise words of our current prophets. President Monson said (quote): "We who have been ordained to the priesthood of God can make a difference. When we maintain our personal purity and honor our priesthood, we become righteous examples for others to follow ... and [we] help to illuminate an increasingly dark world" (close quote).

And finally, I invite all to trust in the merits and in the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Through His atoning sacrifice, we can win the wars of our time.

Even in the midst of difficulties, challenges, and temptations, let us trust in His love and power to save. Christ Himself said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." I bear witness of these truths in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.