Hello. My name is Danielle, and I live in Cebu, the Philippines. I am only eight years old. Even though I am young, I have learned that I am an important part of a great cause--actually, the greatest cause on earth. As children and youth, we are all part of it. The cause Danielle mentioned is the gathering of Israel, and we can all participate. We can develop our talents, become more like Jesus Christ, and make ourselves, other people, and even the world better. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] California. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] France. Arizona. New Zealand. Brazil. Chicago. Peru. Or anywhere else. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] Or 18. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] Whether our family's been in the Church for generations. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] He knows us by name. He speaks our language. He hears our prayers. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] And I. And I. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] So we-- Will strive to serve and grow as Christ did--strive to gather Israel--strive to make a difference. We are a part of something great, united with over a million other children and youth in all the world. We are the hope of Israel. (NON-ENGLISH SINGING)
(SINGING) Hope of Israel, rise in might With the sword of truth and right; Sound the war-cry, "Watch and pray!" Vanquish ev'ry foe today.
Soon the battle will be over; Ev'ry foe of truth be down. Onward, onward, youth of Zion; Thy reward the victor's crown. Hope of Israel, rise in might With the sword of truth and right; Sound the war-cry, "Watch and pray!" Vanquish ev'ry foe today.
Hope of Israel, rise in might. Amen.
Hi, everybody. I'm Dustin. And I'm Layla. Welcome to the Face to Face for youth and children. We just heard the beautiful hymn "Hope of Israel." We thank our choir here tonight from Utah Valley, directed by Kathy Jolly. It really was beautiful. Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles presides at our broadcast, and he is joined by Sister Joy D. Jones, our Primary General President; Sister Bonnie H. Cordon, our Young Women General President; and Brother Stephen W. Owen, our Young Men General President. Thank you all so much for being here. Great. Thank you. Thank you. We will now invite Ammon Clark to offer an opening prayer.
Our dear, most kind, and gracious Heavenly Father, we are so thankful for the opportunity we have to gather here as youth in Zion and as members of Thy Church here and around the world. Heavenly Father, we ask and pray that the Spirit may be present during this meeting, and maybe it'll help us listen and to learn. Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for latter-day prophets and apostles and for the inspiration that they receive. Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for all the work that has gone into this program. And we thank Thee for these inspired changes. Heavenly Father, we love Thee so very much, and we are so grateful for Thy Son and the Atonement and His great sacrifice. Heavenly Father, again, we are so thankful for all Thou hast given us and blessed us with. And we say these things in the name of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, amen. Thank you so much. Tonight we're broadcasting live from the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, Utah. And we're so glad that hundreds and thousands of you are joining together in 18 languages in over 140 countries. Actually, this is our biggest Face to Face event ever. We welcome children, youth, parents, and leaders. And we are so excited to learn more about our new Children and Youth program. Before the event, we asked all of you to submit questions you had about the new program. Today our guests will address as many of them as possible. Before we take our first question, Elder Gong, would you like to share any thoughts for us? Well, first, Layla, Dustin, thanks for doing such a wonderful job hosting. Thank you. Dear young friends, welcome to this Churchwide Face to Face. The Lord loves you, and we love you. We begin with a message from President Russell M. Nelson, who's traveling and ministering today as prophet to the world.
My dear young friends, a few weeks ago I told you about an exciting new program designed especially for you, the youth and children of the Church. We have asked Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and some of our General Officers to tell you more about it, but first I would like to speak with you briefly. I hope you can tell how very important you are to our Heavenly Father. He has inspired several changes in the Church. Many of them have to do with you. We want you to draw even closer to your parents and family, your Church leaders, your friends, and, of course, to our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Our Heavenly Father loves you. He knows what you can accomplish, and He wants you to find true joy in life. He also knows about the many challenges and difficulties you will face. So He has prepared a way to help you succeed. Life is an exciting journey. That journey began long ago, even before we were born, and it continues into eternity. During this journey, we discover who we really are and why we are here. Sometimes our journey is smooth and pleasant; then there are other times when we encounter detours and roadblocks. Even so, all of these diverse experiences can help us grow and progress if we keep our focus fixed on our destination. That great goal is to become more like our Savior, Jesus Christ, and ultimately to return home to our Heavenly Father.
Jesus Christ marked the path and led the way. He can help you overcome obstacles you will surely face. His example, His teachings, and His atoning sacrifice can lead you to eternal happiness with your Father in Heaven. You just need to choose to come unto your Savior and follow His teachings. You are at such an important place in your journey, with great opportunities yet ahead for you. I urge you to stay on the Savior's covenant path with constant courage and perennial purpose.
Today you will learn how to make the most of every opportunity to foster your gospel learning, and you will grow a little more each day through meaningful service and activities. You will be amazed to see your own personal development. Progress on that covenant path does not just happen. It is achieved because of your definitive decision to follow Jesus Christ. You follow His example by ministering to others with the love of God. This higher and holier way is rarely the easy way, but it is the sure way. It leads to success and true joy both here on mortal life's journey and hereafter. So as you set your goals to increase "in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man," please keep the Savior at the center of your plans. Always ask yourself and prayerfully ask your Father in Heaven, "What can I do to become more like Jesus Christ?" As you do this each day, miracles will happen. My young friends, you are the hope of Israel. You have a divine destiny. Your future is bright and becoming brighter each day. I have complete confidence in you. I love you, and so does the Lord. We're His people, engaged together in His holy work. I so testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. Amen.
Thank you, President Nelson. We do thank Thee, O God, for a prophet. Recently, our Church leaders invited us to begin setting personal goals--spiritual, social, physical, intellectual--to grow as our Savior Jesus Christ did. Today we introduce the whole Children and Youth program. The Children and Youth program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is exciting and unique. It invites you to participate fully in the work of salvation and exaltation in the holy temple, as a missionary, and in ministering. Built around a gospel core, this is our single Church effort for all our youth and children everywhere, and it focuses on you discovering and becoming your best divine self through activities and service, learning and growth. Children and Youth comes to you with great love, inspiration, and preparation. Our great desire is for you to strengthen your faith in Jesus Christ and to help you and your family progress along the covenant path as you meet life's challenges. As President Nelson said, we hope each of you will draw closer to your parents and family, your Church leaders and friends, and especially to our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Today will be a little different from our other Face to Face events. We've been studying your excellent questions and preparing answers which explain the key elements of Children and Youth we will discuss today.
Faith, agency, revelation; service and activities at home and at church, including For the Strength of Youth conferences for all young men and all young women; personal development, including goals and recognition, with beautiful new emblems of belonging and achievement; gospel learning, where all comes together in Jesus Christ; and adaptability. This is going to work for you. You're going to love it, whatever your circumstances. Ready? Here we go.
Young friends, please be ready for some surprises, too. A special guest will share our theme song. We will recite together new Aaronic Priesthood quorum and Young Women's themes. We'll introduce a new Primary song, Gospel Living app, and Children and Youth website. The Lord's youth and children program will help you make your important growing years between the ages of 7 and 18 fun, happy, meaningful, and full of faith and conversion on the Lord's covenant path. Dustin, Layla, shall we start our first question? Yeah, our first question is about the basics of the new program. Skyler from Ohio asks, "What differences will I see in my quorum?" And Paige from Arizona asks, "What's new about the new program?" Well, Paige, that's a great question. What's new about the new program? Well, three things. First, the new program gives you each other, a worldwide group of awesome peers, each seeking to follow our Savior, Jesus Christ. Second, the new program brings together your gospel learning, activities and service, and personal development as you choose to grow and serve. And third, Skyler, the new program helps you invite God into all aspects of your life. Individually, in your family, classes, quorums, you'll be blessed as you plan and participate, make new friends, and have fun. Here's what youth are saying about Children and Youth. You're probably wondering what this is all about. Well, it's really about why we're here. Not just here today, but here on earth. As spirit sons and daughters of God, we were sent here to live, grow, and gain experience. Each of us has been sent here at this time for a reason. We all have a purpose. Each of us has unique gifts. Special abilities. And differences in where we were born and who we were born to. All of these things play a role in our journey to try and become like Heavenly Father, find happiness, and return to live with Him. Discovering and developing our unique gifts and learning how we can use them to love and serve others is key. So how do we know where to start? The Savior showed us that we should grow in all parts of our lives. As a young man, He "grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man." So what does it mean to grow in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man? Favor with God could mean doing things that show we love God. Spiritual things. Favor with man can mean doing things that show we love others. Social things. Growing in stature can mean learning to take care of our bodies and surroundings. Physical things. Growing in wisdom can mean learning and discovering new things. Intellectual things. These four areas--spiritual, social, physical, and intellectual--can help us focus on growing in all parts of our lives like the Savior. We can use these areas to set personal or group goals. And to plan family and Church activities. Start by praying and thinking about things in these areas that you could work on individually. With family. Or with a quorum or class. These may be new things or things you're already doing. Maybe you feel you should improve your soccer skills. Learn to play an instrument. Do a service project. Read the scriptures more. Or be a better friend. Make a plan. And get to it. When we follow the Spirit and use what we've learned for good, the things we do can help us become more like the Savior. Now, it won't always be easy, and sometimes you'll fall short. No worries. That's part of learning. Adjust and keep trying. Remember, you don't have to do it on your own. You've got family. Church leaders. Former class members. Friends. And most important, the Lord. You are not alone. When we counsel with those who love us and follow the Holy Ghost, we can gain confidence in who we are. And become who the Lord needs each of us to be. God wants you-- --to be the best you you can be. And there's nothing we can't accomplish, "for with God all things are possible." So that's all there is to it. Good luck. And have fun. [THEME MUSIC]
Presidents, what excites you about this new program? I love the way this home-centered, Church-supported program unites young Church members across the entire world. The foundation is the same no matter how old you are or where you live. And the program is so personalized. You have made covenants, and this program will guide you along the covenant path. Well, for me, this program helps us achieve a balanced and Christlike life. Each of you will be better able to serve Heavenly Father and other people as you strive to grow in all aspects of your lives. A great verse in the New Testament teaches that Jesus "went about doing good." I am really excited about the good you will do as you look outside yourself and serve God and those around you. Children and Youth will work for you no matter your circumstance. The Lord, your family, leaders, and friends will help you succeed. Let's watch how this program will help us to learn to seek and receive personal revelation to guide our lives and help us come closer to the Savior. [MUSIC PLAYING] [CHILDREN TALKING AND LAUGHING] (SPEAKING SPANISH) The new Church program helps young people. We now have the freedom to choose. [MUSIC PLAYING] Because everybody is different, it's growing yourself in the aspects of your life that are most important to you and becoming the best version of yourself you can be. It is a little hard, thinking, "OK, so what do I need to work on?" Self-evaluation. But once you get into it, it's really helpful. It's given me this structure in life. (SPEAKING SPANISH) The Holy Ghost has a fundamental role in this program. The Spirit is a friend who helps us, advises us, and guides us.
To be able to get the guidance of the Holy Ghost, you have to pray. And as you read your scriptures more often, you get to understand what it is to have the Spirit to be with you. It's important to read the scriptures because you get closer to Jesus. (SPEAKING SPANISH) The fact that we kneel and pray will help us to feel what we need to change. What does God expect of me? What do you need me to do? How can I help those around me so they can get to know the Savior? How can we represent Jesus Christ? Because that's what we do. We represent Jesus Christ to the world.
My hope is to walk in the right path and let my light shine before men so that they will see my good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven. [MUSIC PLAYING]
Personal revelation through the Holy Ghost can bless you with your family, friends, school, work, your hopes, and your dreams. And the Lord will help you as you do your best. Well, those are good questions. Let's go to the next ones. We had a lot of questions come in about service and activities. One young woman from South America asks, "Will Aaronic Priesthood quorum and Young Women activities be the same with respect to the new program?" And Jason from Utah asks, "Will activities such as campouts and fun trips be allowed?" Well, we do learn by doing things, don't we? Real service and purposeful activities are at the heart of Children and Youth. Presidents, what would you like to share? You know, Sister Jones, Sister Cordon, why don't we walk over here and talk about service and activities? [LAUGHING] Can we do that? We love activities. OK, let's see what we can find. (LAUGHING) OK, you love to gather together. And you love to serve others in Christlike ways. And Children and Youth will give you many opportunities to do just that--to take advantage of the opportunities you have to gather as families, as Primary children, as young men and young women. The variety of service and activities you can plan is as endless as the variety of children and youth around the whole world. And one key part of the program is that quorum and class presidencies will have the responsibility for selecting and planning activities. And that's important. A purpose of activities is to help us grow more like Christ. Planning activities based on the four areas of growth mentioned in Luke 2:52 can help. Some wards may decide to work on one area--spiritual, physical, intellectual, or social--per activity, while others may have activities that cover multiple areas. And that's OK. How you organize your activities is completely up to you. Counsel together and do what works best. As you see these beautiful pictures, most activities start with a need. It may be a need in your community, your ward, or your branch. It may be a need in your class or your quorum, or even a need of an individual. For those of you who are in quorum or class presidencies, get to know and love the people you serve. As you learn more about them, the ideas for service and activities will come. Activities could be based also on a group goal or an individual goal if--and that's an important word--if a class or quorum member chooses to share. However, activities do not need to be based on goals. Now, children and youth, we love you. And we want you to be safe. Our handbooks include guidelines for what types of activities are approved and what types of things are not. Sister Jones, safety is a key for-- It is. --for children and for youth. But we also want you to have fun. A main purpose of activities is to enjoy our time together. This will help you build relationships that can last a lifetime. To learn more about activities, go to our overview and frequently asked questions page at ChildrenandYouth .ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
Well, thank you. As you're coming back, we just would say that family activities are also important in our home-centered, Church-supported efforts. Whatever your family's situation, we hope you share and grow in faith and unity in your family as Danielle and her family do in this example. [MUSIC PLAYING] [LAUGHING] My name is Danielle Patalinghug. I am eight years old, and I live in Cebu City. [MUSIC PLAYING]
When I got my book, I wrote in the social I wanted to give food to the homeless people, and then I drew me and giving food to the homeless people. This is an answered prayer. We talk as parents, and we said, "We should be part of this program. We should work as a team, as a family." So we have this food business, catering business. So sometimes we have ... let's say an excess. And she's like, "OK, let's go tonight and share this food to the homeless." My dad drove around, and then when we saw some homeless people, we count how many. And for example, there were five, so we took five and gave it to them. And we did it until the food ran out. She is so happy and so excited to do it. So that's how eager she is in helping especially those who are homeless. I wanted to feed them so they could be happy and they could sleep with a full stomach. My intellectual goal is reading books to my little sisters. It helps them with their reading skills and helping them learn new words and good habits and safety tips for kids. She really likes it. It's like she got addicted to the book. Well, for us, as parents, we need to support them 100 percent. The foremost important role of the parents is to teach them here, at home, followed by what they learn in the Church. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are happy that I am reading to my little sisters and that I gave food to the homeless people, because it's a very good thing to do to the homeless people. [MUSIC PLAYING]
Think about the impact Danielle will have on her family and her community as she continues to serve others. I especially enjoyed watching how she and her family came closer together as they served and spent time together. Remember, Children and Youth is home centered, Church supported. And family activities can help families become stronger and happier. Now, if I could take just a moment to talk with you children and Primary leaders. Service and activities for children will be a part of the new program. Activity days are now called Primary activities. And they are for girls, and they are for boys. We hope that you will hold these activities often. How often? That will depend on your circumstances. But we hope you hold Primary activities two to four times per month if that's possible and practical. At least two women, two men, or a married couple should lead Primary activities. Generally, boys and girls will meet separately. But they may combine occasionally for some activities or if there are only a few children in their group. Now let's watch some Primary activities happening all around the world. [MUSIC PLAYING] (SPEAKING SPANISH) Every month, we have activities for the new program. We are making bread for the sacrament. To me it is important because it represents the body of Jesus Christ.
We are having a Primary activity. They are trying to exercise. We do social, intellectual, and physical. We also learn more about Jesus Christ. [MUSIC PLAYING] Sister Gutierrez is going to show you how to make a huge poster called a vision board. Physical--I want to eat healthier. I want to learn more about my family history. We popped balloons and memorized Articles of Faith. It makes me happy and makes me closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. We're playing charades for physical goals. You look at the word, then you act it out. And someone is trying to guess what it is. We're doing Articles of Faith Jeopardy. I like it because we get to get together and have fun. We love Primary.
(LAUGHING) Yes, we do. Dear children, do you remember that President Nelson invited you to be part of the gathering of Israel? Service and activities can help you gather Israel and live your baptismal covenants. Invite your friends to activities with you. Be a missionary now. You probably noticed that some of the children in the video were making bread for the sacrament. You too can serve others. When you do these things, you are participating in the work of salvation. We hope that you are excited for Primary activities, because we are excited too.
We do love Primary. Thank you so much, Sister Jones. Now let's talk a little bit more about service and activities for young women and young men. This is a great opportunity to invite our friends. Invite them to come and see. Invite them to come and help and come and belong. As you know, President Nelson says, "Let the young people lead." If you're in a class or a quorum presidency, you lead and plan purposeful activities. Leaders, we hope that you will mentor, guide, and support the youth as they do this. We also hope you hold activities regularly, weekly where possible. The frequency will depend on the circumstances. Aaronic Priesthood quorums and Young Women classes generally hold separate activities. But we also encourage the opportunity for them to gather together in a combined activity. Quorum and class presidencies, counsel together and discuss how best to organize these combined activities. We also know that campouts and outdoor activities are very important. It's up to you to decide how to make them work. Where you live and where circumstances allow, young men may hold one multiday camp per year. In addition, three to six other overnight activities are encouraged if circumstances permit. We have a camp guide that is coming that will give more information specifically for young men. Well, we do love to camp. We do. Young Women camp is a glorious tradition. And our annual multiday camp will continue. The Young Women Camp Guide is a vital tool to help the adult leaders and the youth leaders as they plan camp. Now, I'm excited to show you an outdoor activity planned by some young women. As you watch this, notice what the class presidency did to make this successful. [MUSIC PLAYING]
Our class presidency is a little different because our ward is a little bit smaller, and so we're together. And I like that because the girls were together all the time and a little more unified. Our presidency consists of a 17-year-old, a 16-year-old, and a 13-year-old. That way their ages are spread. And then we still get the diverse needs of all the different age groups. Putting us all together really makes it a fun time. I feel like as a class presidency, we're trying to look out for the girls and help bring the Spirit into their lives and help them with things that we've gone through. Every activity starts with a need. And a lot of the girls have anxiety, and we wanted to be able to do something hard and overcome some of our fears. That was the first thing they wanted to tackle--help them with their anxiety, help them to get out and be more active and just do something fun together. We needed to find someone that knew how to rappel. And our leaders helped us find him. To be able to rappel, we've got to have a sure foundation. You'll actually see where those anchors have been screwed into the rock. And they're fastened in there so that when we clip into them, we're safe. To me, it represents that foundation that I should be on. And that's the Savior. And I need to be anchored in to Him. We want you girls to have a lot of fun. I want you to think about trust--not only in the other girls, with the leaders, but also in the Savior. I'm feeling stressed out and nervous. My role is definitely, as a Young Women's president, to allow them the opportunity to lead out. We're basically there to support them on the back end and let them grow and flourish in the way that they need. It's time for the girls to have some fun, and not just the boys. [MUSIC PLAYING]
(CHANTING) Kimber! Kimber! We each have individual strengths and weaknesses. And Heavenly Father knows what's hard for us individually. And when we conquer those things, He's so proud of us. Walking off the edge is so scary. That's the scariest part. And then it's OK after. I'm proud of myself. Sometimes Heavenly Father wants us to take the first step. And then we have to trust ourselves and Heavenly Father that we're going to be able to be OK. With Christ, you have a feeling of comfort. It may be scary, but He has you. And He won't let you go no matter what. It was so good to see them, to just see them succeed and just feel so good about themselves and see that they could do hard things, and reach their goal at the same time, overcoming their fears, and getting out and being more active, and relating it to Christ, and growing in so many different areas all from this one activity. [MUSIC PLAYING]
Off rappel. Off belay. [CHEERING] I am never doing that again. [LAUGHTER] And guess who we have with us here today? Will you please welcome the brave young women who did this activity? [APPLAUSE]
This is Kimber. She's the class president. Will you introduce your friends? Yes, so this is my first counselor, Morgan; my second counselor, Grace; and our Young Women's president, Sister Chadwick. So, my very courageous friends, will you tell me, what did you learn as a class presidency as you led this activity? I think one of the things that I learned was how important it is to have the Savior in our lives at all times; to include Him in all decisions, big or small; to include Him in our fears and our anxieties; and to just have Him be there as comfort. Another thing that I learned that is so important is to be there for the other young women, to love them, and to always show to them that we are there for them and that we love them so very much. Good insights. Because we have such a small Young Women's group, I feel like that helps us to be able to have that individual connection with the girls. And as a presidency, we're able to understand the girls as well. And I think that through this activity, the rappelling activity, and activities we've made with our goals, we've been able to ask questions like "How are we going to bring these girls closer to Christ and help them grow closer to Him?" And I'm grateful for the opportunities that I've had to become like Him with these girls and as an individual. So what I learned is that God speaks to us with a calm and gentle voice. A lot of the girls were having a tough time taking that first step down the cliff. And it was really hard for them. And he pulled each of them back up and spoke to them in a calm and gentle voice. And they each tried again because they had a more open mind and a more open heart and were able to listen to what he said better. Great leadership. Thank you. Sister Chadwick, it is obvious that you love these girls. What did you do to build this relationship with this class presidency? Well, Sister Cordon, as you can see, they're amazing. So it's pretty easy to love them. [LAUGHING] I feel like something I did was showed up as my true and genuine self. And in doing that, they knew they could trust me. And they can also feel comfortable with being themselves. But most importantly, I prayed for them daily. Our Heavenly Father--nobody knows them better than He does, so who better to turn to to know what they need? Because leading them is a daily task, not just a Sunday thing. I reach out to them continually through the week and pray to Him always to know what they need, whether they need a text of encouragement, or a hug, or to stay after and talk a little longer after an activity. So it's all about time with them and service and love. Thank you. We learned so much. Let us give them a big hand. Thank you, girls. We love you. Thank you. Thank you. [APPLAUSE]
It was good. Sister Cordon, I think that was a great illustration of a central message that we have been sharing as a Young Men General Presidency. We want the youth to lead. We want you connected with heaven. And we want you to establish strong relationships with the adults who work with you. My dear young friends, there is strength in gathering. And when you gather, you can develop personally and have a good time. And you can also invite all to come and serve, as this video shows. [MUSIC PLAYING] Through helping other people, it helps yourself to feel empowered. I, for one, love serving because you can see the faces of the people you serve where they were really happy. It's helping someone out. And it's making someone's day better and bettering the world. I know personally, I've felt the Spirit a lot more knowing that I was helping other people. I think that if you're just helping your brothers and sisters, you're getting closer to Heavenly Father and the Savior. As we serve other people, we are also serving God. We're becoming more like Heavenly Father because we're being our own person. We're helping other people. We're doing community service. It is important because they help us come together as youth to love each other. This basically strengthens us all. (SPEAKING SPANISH) In addition to bringing us together, it helps us to understand one another. And it helps us to be more united.
And it has helped us build closer friendships between us. Everyone is enjoying. Everyone is feeling happy doing the Lord's work. Making people happy is what I love to do. [MUSIC PLAYING]
I love that video. Know that you can all go to JustServe.org or download the JustServe app for ideas to serve in your area. Now I want to introduce you to two quorum presidents, Juan and Hunter. As you watch their experiences, look for how they lead and see the results of their leadership. [MUSIC PLAYING] (SPEAKING SPANISH) My name is Juan. I'm the teachers quorum president. I think a quorum and a soccer team are similar because we always have to be united. As a team, when you think the same, the move will be better. I think the quorum is the same. Together we will make a better move that will reach the goal. I think the move for the quorum is to bring young men to the gospel, both less active and new.
My initial idea was to have a championship.
I had my friends who played on my team, so obviously I want them here with me.
I like soccer, but there are guys who may not, so we have to do different types of activities for all the boys to have fun and attend.
I'm happy to see my friends here at church. To help our neighbor is to love them. Who loved their neighbor more than Jesus Christ? His love is incredible. We always have to try to get close to Him because His love is sensational.
My name is Hunter [INAUDIBLE]. And I'm the teachers quorum president. For our high-adventure activity, we decided that we wanted to go hiking. When we first introduced it to them, they all were super negative about it and said, "We can't do this. It's going to be too hard." But then through planning and stuff, they became more excited for it. This was the young men's idea. They did the preparation. They did the research. And it was something that they carried out. I think it's important for the adults to let the youth lead. So that way, the youth can grow and learn how to do things. I use revelation to know what the boys need, to know what I need to do to be an example to them. President [INAUDIBLE] decided that we should break the quorum up into committees. So our first one was logistics. The second was food. The third was safety. And the fourth one was gear. When they're bonding and they're coming together as a group, it really helps them see that together, they can do great things. [MUSIC PLAYING] This is how we remember our high-adventure activity. We did fishing. We swam, walked a lot, and just had fun together. And then on the back, we have what we learned and our testimony. One of the things that I learned is that it was way easier to do it with the group, because you have everybody else in your group just to help you mentally there. It's easier to let other people help you in your troubles and challenges than you just trying to get through it yourself. And it made me feel better as a person. At night we would have these scripture studies. Everything was so quiet, so you could just take value from the story. What I learned is that God knows us individually. He always gave us what we needed on that trip. It was a life-changing experience and made us grow closer. [MUSIC PLAYING]
Wow. Well, we actually have some of the young men from the video here with us tonight. Please give them a warm welcome. [APPLAUSE]
Hunter, what have you and your presidency learned from using revelation to lead your quorum? So one of the things that I think we've learned is that through revelation, we know what we need as individuals and as a quorum. We've learned that praying individually and as a quorum makes a big difference. And praying for each quorum member individually also makes a huge difference. And so it's just important to be able to pray and listen to the Holy Ghost to get that revelation. Wonderful. Zane, what have you done to learn to serve? Our quorum tries to go to the temple as often as possible. And we did this one clothes drive for a needy ward who needed clothes for the winter. And we also did yard work for this brother in our ward who was diagnosed with cancer. So we went over to his house. We picked up his yard, mowed his lawn, picked weeds out of his garden. And then it turned out to be a really touching experience for him because he really loves gardening. That's what he enjoys the most. Oh, that's great. Brother Sutton, anything you'd like to share? President, it is a blessing to work with these youth. I've been impressed with the Lord's confidence in them. And I've found that as I step back into a role of support and love, they truly achieve their potential. It's amazing to watch. Well, it's wonderful. And we have these two. But we have their whole quorum here. Let's give them another round of applause for their service. [APPLAUSE] Thank you. Thank you very much. [APPLAUSE] Thank you. [APPLAUSE] Our Children and Youth website includes activities and service ideas for family, children, and youth. This website currently has 100 ideas on it, with more coming to get you thinking.
Thanks so much. What's our next question? There is a lot of excitement about the new For the Strength of Youth conferences. Dustin and I are sad we will be too old to attend next year, but we can still go as counselors.
Youth are asking questions such as "What are the new FSY conferences? What do they include? And how can we, as youth, get the most out of it?" Well, we're glad you're going to be there as counselors. Counselors are really important. In addition to camps, treks, and youth conferences, all our young men and all our young women will now enjoy multiday For the Strength of Youth, also called FSY conferences. A five-day FSY conference brings you together in larger groups for classes, devotionals, and gospel study and for dances, variety shows, and many other fun activities. You'll love gathering, meeting other faithful youth and new friends, including from beyond your ward and stake. Beginning this May 2020, 300 stakes and 45,000 youth will begin attending FSY conferences in the United States and Canada. This is new and very exciting. And this is only the beginning. Many youth in Church areas outside the United States and Canada already love FSY. And you'll continue or begin to hold regular FSY conferences. Now, please remember, you may attend FSY conferences beginning the year you turned 14. So many of you will be able to attend two FSY conferences by the time you turn age 18. This video shows a little more about FSY. [MUSIC PLAYING]
My favorite part about FSY is meeting all the new people. [MUSIC PLAYING]
I think FSY really helps you slow down and think about what the Savior has in store for you. [MUSIC PLAYING]
Everything about FSY is wonderful--the games, the activities, the lessons, the dances. I love it all. [MUSIC PLAYING]
A couple more guidelines for leaders about FSY: In the year youth attend FSY, their stakes will not hold stake youth conferences or trek. We do encourage holding stake or ward camps every year where possible. OK, we do need counselors. So young single adults play an important role as FSY counselors. They will also have a very wonderful and great spiritual experience. Please invite the young single adults to help make FSY a big success for everyone. To see where your stake will be invited to an FSY conference or if you have other questions, please go to the FSY link on the Children and Youth website. Each year, our music album sets our scriptural theme to music we love. Our 2020 youth theme scripture comes from the Book of Mormon: 1 Nephi chapter 3, verse 7, Nephi's great testimony of going and doing all the Lord commands. Here tonight to introduce our 2020 youth theme song and video is Brother David Archuleta. [APPLAUSE]
Always great to have you here. Oh, thank you. Would you take just a moment and share what this song, this video, means to you? Sure. So I love this song and this theme because it's based in what Nephi said in the scripture. And he had just been asked with his brothers to do something that was hard: to get the brass plates from Laban. And his brothers even complain. They're like, "This is a hard thing you've asked of us." But Nephi's attitude shows in what he said when he said, "I will go and do." Even though he didn't know how he was going to yet, he trusted that the Lord would provide a way. And I think that's how we are in our journey. It's not always easy to do what God asks us to do or just to keep moving forward each day. But that's where we can take courage the way Nephi did and go and do and trust that the Lord will provide a way for us as well. [MUSIC - "I WILL GO AND DO"] (SINGING) No matter where I go, I know I'm not alone. I feel my Savior there beside me. He leads me through the night. He's always been my guide. He promised He will never leave me. Though my burdens seem too much to bear, He'll bless me. So, whatever He commands, I will go and do. I will stand for truth. Though the world may back away, I will walk right through. I know if I follow Him, follow Him in faith, He will ease my burdens and He'll provide a way. He'll provide a way. [MUSIC - "I WILL GO AND DO"] (SINGING) When I feel overcome and all my strength is gone, I think of all the ways He's blessed me. My journey may seem long, but He'll lift me with His love, A perfect love that's never-ending. He will give me, give me all the strength I need. And so, whatever He commands, I will go and do. I will stand for truth. Though the world may back away, I will walk right through. I know if I follow Him, follow Him in faith, He will ease my burdens and He'll provide a way. He'll provide a way for me to cross the desert, To sail across the ocean. If that's where He sends me, I'll follow His plan. I'll do whatever He commands me, For I know that He will lead me to the promised land.
I will go and do. I will stand for truth. Though the world may shut Him out, I will make Him room. I know if I follow Him, follow Him in faith, He will ease my burdens and He'll provide a way. He'll provide a way. Hey, He'll provide a way. Hey, no matter where I go, I know I'm not alone. I feel my Savior there beside me.
[APPLAUSE]
Beautiful. [APPLAUSE]
You were looking this way, and you didn't see the video. But it was shot in the beautiful country of New Zealand with our local youth. Right. When you think of those who are here tonight, when you were their age, did you ever have a goal that brought you closer to our Savior? You know, when I was younger, I was known for being socially awkward and not really having a lot of friends. I can't believe that. It's hard to believe. Well, you can ask the kids at elementary school that I went to. [LAUGHING] I would usually be alone, by myself, at the end of the field and stuff. I just didn't feel like I was really worth anything. I felt pretty worthless. And I wasn't good for anything. And I know that's pessimistic. But that's just how I was when I--but when I was 12 years old, my bishop invited us to a challenge to read the Book of Mormon. And I thought, "That's hard. I could barely get through 1 Nephi. I don't know how I'm going to get through the whole Book of Mormon." But I decided to take the challenge. And I didn't understand everything I read. But I felt, for just this experience, that I was coming close and getting to know Christ in a personal way and a way I hadn't ever experienced before. And I was able to get to the end of the Book of Mormon. And I decided to get on my knees and pray and ask if this was real, if it was true. And I was surprised because not only did I receive an answer that it was real and it was true, but I also received an answer where God said, "My son, I know you. I know who you are." And 12-year-old David, who didn't think he was worth anything and didn't think I was worth any of God's time--I realized He knew who I was and cared about me and that I did have a purpose. And so I Rollerbladed a lot around when I was 12. And so usually I would go by myself. But after that happened, I started looking for ways I could help other people, like rake their leaves or help them take their trash cans out, because I felt like, "You know what? If I have a purpose, then maybe I should start helping other people out." Well, that beautiful testimony and that beautiful video will help us to remember to go and do. Thanks so much. Thank you. Great to be with you. [APPLAUSE]
Please find this video, our 2020 album, and other theme and youth resources at our Children and Youth website. Shall we go to our next question? Yes, our next question is about personal development. We've had questions from all over the world from youth and adults asking things like "Are there a required number of goals to do in a year? How can I track them? And are there any booklets to help?" Well, these are good questions too. Your personal development, with goals you set for yourself, is at the heart of Children and Youth. You can prayerfully decide how many goals you set and when you want to accomplish them. You're familiar with the guidebook. It will help you choose and grow spiritually, socially, physically, intellectually, as our Savior grew. Set personal goals that stretch you and challenge you. Discover new talents, interests, and skills. Prepare to show personal achievement and receive meaningful recognition. When appropriate, please share your plans and goals with your family and Church leaders so they can encourage you and celebrate your accomplishments. Sister Jones, how will this work for children? Well, we encourage each Primary child, beginning the year they turn eight, to start setting one goal per year in each area of growth. The number of goals you work on at a time will be up to you, children. You will receive a personal development guidebook by January. And if you would like to use it, the guidebook gives a simple process in which you discover, plan, act, and reflect. You discover what you need to work on first. Then you plan how you will do it. You act on your plan in faith. And you reflect on what you have learned. Your parents and leaders can help you. Let's watch one family's experience. And as we do, look for how these children and youth discover, plan, act, and reflect to achieve their goals. [MUSIC PLAYING] This is the first thing that I wrote in my journal: "Life is like riding a bicycle. Both need balance." One of my goals is to read the Book of Mormon every day. I want to learn the piano so that I can play at the sacrament meeting. The program is more of an extension of a family-centered and Church-supported initiative. And we will be able to help out as a family, improve the lives of our kids. First, I tried to discover myself, who really I am, by writing down those things which I am good at and I want to learn or try. This is my reading chart. If I'm done reading the Book of Mormon, I color the chapter that I read. I practice with Sister Shelly once or twice a week. But without her, I practice every day. We've seen them change and how their testimonies grow. We saw them reading their own scriptures by themselves and even participating in the Primary class with confidence. I'm in 1 Nephi chapter 16. Before playing the piano, I prayed so that the Holy Ghost will guide me. First I got a little bit nervous. Then when I started playing, that feeling left me. And I just imagine that I'm only doing this for Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father.
That's the whole reason for this program, is for us to be like our Savior, Jesus Christ, and have that eternal perspective. We know that we are improving, grace by grace, just like Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father sent us here on earth to learn. And Jesus Christ is our perfect example. In order to be like Him, we should also grow balance in every aspect of our life. [MUSIC PLAYING]
That was very inspiring. Thank you so much, Dinah and [INAUDIBLE].. Young men and young women, you are encouraged to set at least two goals per year in each area of growth. But we are not going to prescribe what goals they should be. So there's no checklist. How many you work on at once will be up to you. You may be inspired to do one goal, a major goal, that will last you months to complete. And you also might have short-term goals that you complete in a week. You will also receive this guidebook to help you with the simple process to discover, plan, act, and reflect. Heavenly Father has given you gifts and talents, some of which you're already developing and you're very good at. You can continue there. But don't stop there. Sometimes we need to challenge ourselves. You can do hard things. And there is nothing wrong with setting a goal to help others. That is what the Savior did. Now, goals take a lot of work. And at times it will be difficult, but it will always be worth it. When I was your age, I worked very hard in wrestling. And I'll never forget my junior year in high school, when I was defeated three times by the same guy. But I was determined that I'd never let that happen again. And I spent the next year training as hard as I could. Eventually, I reached my goal. But I had to put in a lot of effort to improve. OK, that is a wonderful story, President Owen. Well, we are all different. And our talents and goals really are as unique as we are. I, for one, was never a wrestler. But I did-- [LAUGHTER] --never. But I did love competing in gymnastics. And then I grew too tall. So I thought, "I'll do hurdles." But I found that generally I hit the hurdles more than going over the hurdles. And so, eventually, I turned to running. Now, it was OK that gymnastics and hurdling did not work out for me. In reality, those struggles and the disappointment--they really helped me. You know, I still run today. And it is interesting that at times, I am able to quiet my mind as I'm running. And at that time, I seek and I actually receive inspiration from the Lord as I run. That's great. Thank you. One of you might set a goal to run a marathon. And another might set a goal to walk around the track. Maybe you set a goal to make a new friend, to get better grades. Or maybe you want to say more meaningful prayers. Experiences, disabilities, and differences in interests will influence these plans. The point is that you are striving individually to grow more like our Savior. Remember to involve Heavenly Father. He will help you, often through simple thoughts, feelings, or impressions. Now, Sister Cordon and I both talked about physical growth, didn't we? But we've also worked to improve in the other areas of our lives. It's important to try to keep balanced. The "discover, plan, act, reflect" process in the booklets can help you set, work on, and evaluate your goals in each of the areas. Youth and children, it's up to you to set and track your personal goals. No one will tell you what they should be. As Elder Gong mentioned, you can choose to share these goals and request help from parents, leaders, and your friends if you want to. Leaders and parents, keep in mind that you help children and youth best when you support their efforts instead of tracking them. Some goals, after all, are private.
Properly used, technology can help you live in a noisy, distracting, and consuming world. Designed especially for you, the Gospel Living app can give you a safe place to focus on what really matters. Here are some Gospel Living app features. "Discover" brings uplifting music, videos, memes, inspirational messages. "Today" helps remind you of things you want to accomplish. You can see upcoming activities and progress towards your goals.
"My Life": a journal where you can capture thoughts, impressions, photos, and goals.
"Circles" is a safe group messaging feature. Circles connects you with family, class or quorum members, and leaders so you can share thoughts, photos, activities, and inspiring content with those you designate. Let's see how the Gospel Living app can bless you and help you serve those around you. [FOOTSTEPS]
[MUSIC PLAYING] [PHONE BUZZING] [MUSIC PLAYING]
(SINGING) We could keep living in the shadows Because someone might not understand. We could turn around and just stay quiet. But if we're quiet, they won't know what they could have. Because some people are searching for something that they missed, And we could bring them back to life. We don't need to hide The things that we believe in. We want the world to see it, So we can share the light. We don't need to be Ashamed of how we're living Because the things that we've been given Keep our hope alive. We don't need to hide.
We don't need to hide. Oh no, we don't need to hide.
Let's try this on my phone. So let me open the app.
Here in Discover is the new theme song that David Archuleta just sang, "I Will Go and Do." Here, using Circles, I can share with my quorum. [LAUGHTER]
I have a pretty cool quorum. [LAUGHTER] And I bet you have a pretty cool quorum or class too. OK, here we go.
Do you remember, last week, one of the goals I shared on Instagram? I wanted to learn to speak some Spanish. This Gospel Living notification reminds me to practice speaking Spanish. This technology can bless your life and help you stay close to your parents, leaders, and the Lord. Look for the first version of Gospel Living app to begin rolling out in January 2020. Now, of course, if you don't use a phone, no worries. You can use the guidebooks, your journals, online Gospel Living feed to do many of the same things. And of course, an app can help. But you don't need an app to serve others, to help a family member or a neighbor, to go visit someone who needs help, or simply to be kind. Are we ready for another question? Yes, thank you. Many people are wondering if we will be recognized for our progress or receive rewards for our achievements. For example, Maria from Brazil asks, "Will there be recognition such as badges, certificates, or medallions?" Sister Cordon, will we still have a medallion? Yes, Elder Gong, we will have a medallion. Well, good. And some other exciting things as well. Wonderful. There are two types of emblems now in Children and Youth: emblems of belonging, which each of you will receive the year you turn 8, 12, and 18 years of age; and emblems of achievement, which you earn as you strive to achieve your personal goals and certain foundational gospel expectations. Remember, President Nelson teaches all we do in the Church leads us to the holy temple.
And because of that, our new Children and Youth logos include a temple symbol and the words "strive to be." These logos invite us to become more like our Savior by following His covenant temple path.
Elder Gong, I love "strive to be" as an invitation to become more like Christ. When sharing your experiences through social media, use #strivetobe so that others can be inspired by what you are doing and accomplishing. The Church youth Instagram account will now be called @strivetobe. Go there to be uplifted and to uplift others. That will be exciting to see what-- Yeah. --gets posted on that. These emblems of Children and Youth unite us as one in Christ. When you see the hashtag or you see someone wearing a ring or a medallion, you know that they too are striving to become like our Savior, Jesus Christ. These emblems remind us that we are part of a great cause to follow our Savior and our Church leaders.
Let's invite some of our youth and children to show our new emblems of belonging and achievement.
Sister Jones, shall we start with the children? Great, I would love that. First, the green CTR rings will still be given in our CTR classes. But Charlotte is now going to tell us what is new for children the year they turn eight. When we begin Children and Youth, we each receive a picture of the temple and a beautiful ring. This ring has our CTR shield surrounding a temple symbol to remind us to choose the right as we prepare to enter the Lord's house. The year we turn 12, we can be worthy to serve in the temple. Each of us will receive this beautiful temple recommend holder. When young men turn 12, we'll each also receive a special ring, which points us towards the temple and reminds us to strive to grow like Christ. And the young women will receive a beautiful medallion and gemstone the year they turn 12. The gem reflects light. And it reminds us to seek and share the light of Christ with others. These emblems can remind us to do what President Nelson has asked us to do: to help gather Israel on both sides of the veil. The year young women turn 18, we'll each receive a pendant to add to our necklace. It reminds us to make and keep temple covenants, which will bless us with added power in all aspects of our life. The year young men turn 18, we'll each receive a vial for consecrated oil. We can use this after we receive the Melchizedek Priesthood to perform priesthood blessings. It reminds us of our priesthood duty to serve others and invite all to come unto Christ. Finally, as we strive to fulfill our personal goals and foundational gospel requirements, we can earn two emblems of achievement: a special certificate signed by the First Presidency, and a Christus in a crystal arch, which we can have as prized keepsakes. Yeah, shortly before we complete our time in Aaronic Priesthood quorums or Young Women's, we'll discuss our progress and efforts with our bishop. We won't be perfect. But we can be recognized with these emblems of achievement when we are doing our very best to grow and become like the Savior through righteous goals and habits, service to others, and living gospel standards. Thank you. These will be a treasure. Thank you so much for sharing them with all of us. Now, you'll receive these emblems mid-2020. But even more important than the emblems you will receive is the commitment to growth and progress that they will represent. Your most satisfying personal development and your most important achievements will come as your goals open new horizons, as you explore new interests and skills beyond your comfort zone. When you may feel uncertain, those who love you can help you know you're doing well. You'll regularly meet to share your progress with your bishop. The year you turn 18, you'll review your goals and efforts to fulfill foundational gospel expectations, to pray and study scriptures daily, worthily hold a limited-use temple recommend, participate in church and seminary, serve God and others with your heart and your hands. You and your bishop will feel confirming joy when you have earned these very special emblems of achievement. Please remember, personal gospel growth is not a set of requirements that you check off. The right goals, including righteous goals, will bring gospel experience and change your heart. Setting righteous personal goals and establishing discipline and inspired patterns will bless your whole life. Another question? Yes, people have been asking about how the new program is tied with Come, Follow Me, seminary, and what happens at Sunday. Israel from Mexico asks, "Will we continue using the Come, Follow Me program?" And Natalie from Arizona asks, "The young women have a beautiful new theme. Do the young men get one too?"
Sister Jones, would you like to begin our discussion on gospel learning as it connects with service and activities and personal development? I would love to, Elder Gong. Thank you. The tie between Come, Follow Me and Children and Youth is really simple. In gospel learning settings--such as your home, seminary, Church classes--you will receive spiritual impressions about how you need to grow. Our hope is that you will write down your impressions in your guidebook, your journal, or the app and make plans to act. We do need to write those down. We need to write them down. And you may be inspired to serve someone or plan a fun activity or work on a personal goal. But your service and your activities and your goals will be most meaningful when they're connected with a gospel truth, including the connections that happen as you're learning in seminary. Well, I'd like to also point out one great adjustment that has happened. We can now study the same book of scripture at home, in Primary, in Sunday School, and in seminary. And this alignment brings unity around gospel learning not seen before. Most important, we hope that all of your studies will help you receive inspiration and come closer to your Savior. As you learn of Him, you will be more successful in striving to become like Him. Each Sunday that we are together as young women, we recite our new Young Women theme, which was introduced during general conference. Our theme is a personal reminder of our identity, purpose, and our infinite worth as beloved daughters of Heavenly Parents and disciples of Jesus Christ. It also unifies us as young women around the world. I invite you all to study and ponder what the theme means and how the truths taught in the theme affect the choices that you make. Layla, will you come join me? Of course. Now, I would love if all of the Young Women around the world would please stand, and let's recite the theme together.
OK, slow. "I am a beloved daughter of heavenly parents, with a divine nature and eternal destiny. As a disciple of Jesus Christ, I strive to become like Him. I seek and act upon personal revelation and minister to others in His holy name. I will stand as a witness of God at all times and in all things and in all places. As I strive to qualify for exaltation, I cherish the gift of repentance and seek to improve each day. With faith, I will strengthen my home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, and receive the ordinances and blessings of the holy temple." I want you to know that each word was inspired from heaven. Our Heavenly Father knows you and invites you to be part of this great work on earth. Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. I promise He will strengthen you as you strive to follow Him.
Sister Cordon, that was so inspiring to see all of these faithful young women sharing their commitment through those words. Yeah. We're not leaving out the young men. Recently, the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles approved an Aaronic Priesthood quorum theme for young men, which I am excited to introduce today. Will the young men around the world please stand and recite the priesthood quorum theme with me? Dustin, will you come and join me?
"I am a beloved son of God, and He has a work for me to do. With all my heart, might, mind, and strength, I will love God, keep my covenants, and use His priesthood to serve others, beginning in my own home. As I strive to serve, exercise faith, repent, and improve each day, I will qualify to receive temple blessings and the enduring joy of the gospel. I will prepare to become a diligent missionary, loyal husband, and loving father by being a true disciple of Jesus Christ. I will help prepare the world for the Savior's return by inviting all to come unto Christ and receive the blessings of His Atonement." My young brothers, that felt so good to stand with you and recite these powerful, inspired words, which speak to your purpose and identity. I know this will bring unity to your quorum. We hope that you will begin reciting this theme when you gather in Sunday quorum meetings. And we also hope you will carefully study its meaning and commit to live by its teachings and principles.
That was wonderful. Both our Aaronic Priesthood quorum and Young Women's themes focus on acting and becoming, ministering, serving, bearing witness of Jesus Christ, and doing our best each day. Well, Elder Gong, we are nearing the end of the broadcast. Do we have time for one more question and to hear your testimonies? Thank you. Please. Awesome. Thank you. After the final question and Elder Gong's testimony, we'll invite the Winters and [INAUDIBLE] family to sing a brand-new Primary song. This song invites us to walk on the covenant path with the Savior. After the song, our closing prayer will be offered by Brinley Gardner. After today, this broadcast will be archived on ChurchofJesusChrist.org and in the Gospel Library app. We also hope you will post your thoughts about this event on social media using the hashtag #strivetobe.
OK, here's our last question. A lot of people have been wondering how to adapt this program to their circumstance or location. For instance, a youth from Peru says, "Only my grandma and I are members. And she is very old." [LAUGHTER] "How can I help my parents, who are not members, participate with me in the new program?" Well, thank you, Layla. Sister Gong and I were recently in Peru. And it's a good reminder that we do live in many places and many different family circumstances, yet we're united in faith and doctrine. Local keys, flexibility and adaptability, and inspired judgment will help us in every situation. Elder Gong, may I share a story about a young girl? She's eight years old. Her name is Nicole. Oh, please. She lives in the Philippines. She wasn't a member of the Church, and neither were her parents. But her older brother was. Their whole family was changed when they set a goal to read the Book of Mormon as part of the Children and Youth Program. They are all now members of the Church and planning to go to the temple in a year. That is inspiring. My dear friends, you can be a wonderful influence in your home. No matter your family's situation, whether your parents are members or not, please invite them to join you on this journey. They love you. And they want to help you. Leaders, every parent loves their child and wants what is best for them. Talk to them, and ask them about their hopes and dreams for their child and how you can help. Ministering brothers and sisters can also be a valuable resource to support children and youth and their parents. You may have a large ward or a small branch. You have different talents and abilities. You may live in a big city with no access to camping facilities. Your ward may be spread over several cities, or it may just cover a few blocks. There are as many varieties of situations as there are families and individuals in the Church. And there are just as many solutions. We invite you to seek the Spirit of the Lord and adapt the Children and Youth program to your local needs. Dear young friends, families, leaders, as we conclude this special Face to Face, may we express again the Lord's love and our confidence the Children and Youth program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will bless you now and for years to come. Every aspect of Children and Youth can work together at home and at church to strengthen faith in Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, and to enrich your experiences and your testimony of His restored gospel and Church. You're gathering Israel on both sides of the veil. Please always ask and think, "Who can I invite, perhaps for the first time, to come to our great activities and our meaningful service?" We hope your growing years will be filled with wonderful memories and preparation. Let lifelong conversion and joyful gospel living come deep into your heart. That's your divine destiny. It's who you are and who you're becoming. Youth scriptures, songs, and themes will touch your heart. And we hope these special youth emblems will help you strive and stay on the covenant path. These emblems can remind you of our Savior and the holy temple and help you feel belonging, achievement, and fulfillment. Parents and youth and youth leaders, please help our youth. Please connect them with heaven. Help and encourage them to follow and keep those things which they should do. Encourage and help them. But let them lead. President Nelson encourages parents: "Please [help] build strong relationships with your children and [your] youth. ... No one can have a greater influence on their success than you." Parents and leaders, please also remember our Church curriculum program and organization now work together. As elders quorums and Relief Societies take greater responsibility for the work of salvation, bishops, you can properly focus on each youth. Stake leaders and ward leaders, please fully staff and make youth efforts a high priority, including For the Strength of Youth conferences. Please remember, you have many resources to help you: the guidebooks, Children and Youth website, the Gospel Living app. Most important, as you counsel in families, wards, and stakes, when you're thinking about children and youth and the Children and Youth program, I know the Lord will bless you. He'll help you in every needful way. I bear testimony of Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. The fullness of the restored gospel is found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, led by the Lord through His apostles and prophets from the Prophet Joseph Smith to President Russell M. Nelson today. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. And sacred covenants and ordinances can bless you with enduring joy. We love you. We pray the Lord and His Children and Youth program will bless you with every wonderful blessing in the most wonderful way, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen. Amen.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
(SINGING) Jesus walked in wisdom; Jesus grew in truth. He showed love to God and man while in His youth. Jesus wants to guide me. Jesus shows the way, Calling me to come and walk Him each day. As I walk with Jesus to my home above, He will bless me with His Spirit and fill me with His love, Change my heart forever and help me clearly see. I will walk with Jesus, and He will walk with me.
(SINGING IN SPANISH) (SINGING) As I walk with Jesus to my home above, He will bless me with His Spirit and fill me with His love, Change my heart forever and help me clearly see. I will walk with Jesus, and He will walk with me. [MUSIC PLAYING]
I will trust in Jesus. I will hear His call. He will never leave me, even when I fall. Jesus gives me power, lifts and comforts me, Helping me to live and grow eternally.
As I walk with Jesus to my home above, He will bless me with His Spirit and fill me with His love, Change my heart forever and help me clearly see. I will walk with Jesus, and He will walk with me. [MUSIC PLAYING] I will walk with Jesus, and He will walk with me. [MUSIC PLAYING]
Our dear Heavenly Father, we are so grateful for this wonderful Sabbath day. We are grateful for this inspired program, which has been given to us by inspired leaders. We pray that we may be able to help gather Israel. We pray that we may be able to be a light in the world. And we pray that we may be able to take this program and become more like Thy Son, Jesus Christ. We love Thee. And we are so grateful for Thee. And please bless, we pray, that we may be able to have Thy Spirit to be with us. And we say these things humbly in the name of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, amen. Amen. [CROWD CHATTER] [MUSIC PLAYING]