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“A True Millennial is a man or woman who lives now to help prepare the people of this world for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and His millennial reign. Make no mistake about it—you were born to be a True Millennial.” —President Russell M. Nelson
How can you stand and live as a True Millennial?
President Nelson recommends four steps to becoming a True Millennial and explains the blessings that can come as you follow this counsel:
- Learn who you really are.
- Expect and prepare to accomplish the impossible.
- Learn how to access the power of heaven.
- Follow the prophets
Take time to think about how you are an elect son or daughter of God created in His image who was taught and prepared for everything you would encounter in your earthly existence, President Nelson encourages.
“Ask your Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, how He feels about you and your mission here on earth. If you ask with real intent, over time the Spirit will whisper the life-changing truth to you. Record those impressions and review them often, and follow through with exactness.
“I promise you that when you begin to catch even a glimpse of how your Heavenly Father sees you and what He is counting on you to do for Him, your life will never be the same!”
“God has always asked His covenant children to do difficult things,” President Nelson says.
“Because you are covenant-keeping sons and daughters of God, living in the latter part of these latter days, the Lord will ask you to do difficult things. You can count on it.”
Recognizing that being asked to do something that seems far beyond your capacity can be unnerving, President Nelson encourages you to accept challenging tasks and become an instrument in the Lord’s hands.
President Nelson had been in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for only 19 months in 1985 when President Ezra Taft Benson asked him to do what he thought was impossible—open the countries of Eastern Europe for the preaching of the gospel. Although the task was not easy, and there were many obstacles in his way, President Nelson kept working until he was able to fulfill what the prophet had asked him to do.
“The Lord is able to do His own work, and I was privileged to watch the unfolding of one miracle after another—always, and only, after I had brought my best thinking, my most courageous efforts, and my most fervent prayers to the task,” he says.
“As a True Millennial whom the Lord can count on, you will make history too!” he said. “You will be asked to accept challenging assignments and become an instrument in the Lord’s hands. And He will enable you to accomplish the impossible.”
“Every one of us has questions,” President Nelson teaches. “Seeking to learn, understand, and recognize truth is a vital part of our mortal experience. Much of my life has been spent in research. You too will learn best by asking inspired questions.”
“Where can you start?” he asks. “Begin by spending more time in holy places. The temple is a holy place. So is the chapel, where you make new sacramental covenants each Sunday. I invite you also to make your apartment, your dorm, your home, or your room a holy place where you can safely retreat from the dark distractions of the world.
“Prayer is a key. Pray to know what to stop doing and what to start doing. Pray to know what to add to your environment and what to remove so the Spirit can be with you in abundance.
“Plead with the Lord for the gift of discernment. Then live and work to be worthy to receive that gift so that when confusing events arise in the world, you will know exactly what is true and what is not.
“Serve with love. Loving service to those who have lost their way or who are wounded in spirit opens your heart to personal revelation.
“Spend more time—much more time—in places where the Spirit is present. That means more time with friends who are seeking to have the Spirit with them. Spend more time on your knees in prayer, more time in the scriptures, more time in family history work, more time in the temple. I promise you that as you consistently give the Lord a generous portion of your time, He will multiply the remainder.”
“Prophets see ahead,” President Nelson says. “They see the harrowing dangers the adversary has placed, or will yet place, in our path. Prophets also foresee the grand possibilities and privileges awaiting those who listen with the intent to obey. …
“The Lord has promised us that He will never allow the prophet to lead us astray. President Harold B. Lee declared: ‘You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. It may contradict your political views. It may contradict your social views. It may interfere with some of your social life. But if you listen to these things, as if from the mouth of the Lord Himself, with patience and faith, the promise is that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory” (D&C 21:6).’
“You may not always understand every declaration of a living prophet. But when you know a prophet is a prophet, you can approach the Lord in humility and faith and ask for your own witness about whatever His prophet has proclaimed.”
An Apostle's blessing
“You were born to be True Millennials!” Elder Nelson concludes. “You are a chosen generation, fore-determined by God to do a remarkable work—to help prepare the people of this world for the Second Coming of the Lord.
“Now, as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, I bless each one of you, as though I had my hands upon your heads, with the ability to become the True Millennial you were born to be.”
