“Remember Now Thy Creator in the Days of Thy Youth” (Ecclesiastes 12:1)

The scriptures chronicle the ministries of the prophets and apostles. Many of these leaders knew God from their youth. Here are five scriptural accounts that describe the experiences of some of these future leaders.

• John the Baptist, who was called to prepare the people for “the coming of the Lord,” was “ordained by the angel of God at the time he was eight days old unto this power” (D&C 84:27–28).

• King Josiah, crowned at age eight, spent his 31-year reign helping the Jews become converted to the gospel (see 2 Kings 22).

• Mormon was about 10 years old when Ammaron chose him to be the next keeper of the records (the plates of Nephi). At about age 16 Mormon led the Nephite armies. (See Mormon 1:2–4; 2:1–2.)

• David was a mere “stripling” (a young man) when he slew Goliath, perhaps the same age as the soldiers in Helaman’s army (see 1 Samuel 17:49–56; Alma 53:22).

• Joseph was 17 when he was sold into Egypt, where “the Lord was with Joseph” (see Genesis 37:2, 27–28; 39:2).

Top left: illustration by Paul Mann; detail from Shaphan Brings the Scrolls to Josiah, by Robert T. Barrett © 1990, may not be copied; Mormon Abridging the Plates, by Tom Lovell © IRI; David and Goliath, by Steve Nethercott, may not be copied; Ancient Examples/Modern Promises, by Jeff Ward