From the First Presidency

What Is the Truth?

By President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Second Counselor in the First Presidency

Adapted from “What Is Truth?” speeches.byu.edu.

insists: to argue that something is right

In a poem written more than a hundred years ago, six blind travelers take hold of a different part of an elephant and describe what they discover. One finds the elephant’s leg and describes it as being round and rough like a tree. Another feels the tusk and describes the elephant as a spear. A third grabs the tail and insists that an elephant is like a rope. A fourth discovers the trunk and insists the elephant is like a large snake. Each one tells part of the truth about what the elephant is.

Sometimes we are like these travelers. We know something, but not everything. Our world is full of confusion. But there is someone who sees all things clearly. There is a source of truth that is complete and correct. That source is our wise and all-knowing Heavenly Father.

What is the truth that Heavenly Father offers us? It is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). If we will have enough courage and faith to walk in His path, it will lead to peace of heart and mind, to happiness in this world, and to joy in the world to come. Eventually all of our questions will be answered.

Tools for Truth

Here are some tools Heavenly Father has given us to help us find truth. Can you find them in the word search?

• Apostles

• good books

• Holy Ghost

• leaders

• learning

• listening

• parents

• prayer

• prophets

• scriptures

• study

• teachers

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A True/False Finish

Circle the ending of the sentence that makes the sentence true, then cross out the false ending. Make sure to show a parent what you’ve learned!

Heavenly Father loves me …

… only if I am perfect and don’t make any mistakes.

… no matter what.

If I have questions about the Church …

… I can ask a parent or leader for help.

… I shouldn’t tell anyone.

Reading the scriptures is important …

… because it’s one way God talks to me.

… because it makes me seem smart.

I can pray …

… only by kneeling and closing my eyes.

… anytime, anywhere.

Heavenly Father wants me to learn new things …

… using my brain and my faith in Jesus Christ.

… using prayer but nothing else.