Knowing Who You Are

By President James E. Faust

Second Counselor in the First Presidency

Adapted from “Who Do You Think You Are?” Ensign, Mar. 2001, 2–7.

President Faust reminds us that, above all, we are children of God.

I salute you young people as chosen, special spirits who have been reserved to come forth in this generation. You have great challenges. I hope you are beginning to achieve in some special way. Perhaps it is your smile, your personality, or your ability to lift others. Perhaps you are discovering your talent as an athlete, scholar, musician, artist, or in a hundred different areas. These accomplishments may cause you to think about who you really are.

Many [people] measure their self-worth solely in terms of their talent and accomplishments instead of who they really are inside. It is not always true that the more you achieve, the happier you will be.

God knows you and what you can become because He has known you from the beginning when you were His spirit sons and daughters. What you become will depend in large measure upon how you follow righteous principles and do good works.

If we really want to feel better about ourselves, we should do deeds of kindness. Kindness shapes our character and makes us more like our Father in Heaven. Great satisfaction can come in helping the poor, the sick, the elderly, or others who have special needs. Look around you; there are all kinds of opportunities.

Being friendly to our neighbors [and] to people at school [and] at church is a great way to show the Lord that we want to keep the covenant we made at baptism “to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light” (Mosiah 18:8). So many people are shy or lonely and need a kind word or smile. Lifting others is the way of the Master.

So who do you think you are? Knowing who you are—who you really are—is closely tied to knowing God, for you are His children.

Illustrated by Sam Lawlor