“How to Press Forward,” Liahona, January 2016, 60
Answers from Church Leaders
How to Press Forward
Elder Neil L. Andersen
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
From an address given at Brigham Young University–Hawaii on December 14, 2013.
Detail from Hold On Tight, by Liz Lemon Swindle
Press forward implies something more than simply going forward. Press implies something is preventing your advancement, and you must push through it. To go forward in this life, you must press temptations aside, press through obstacles, press the doubt and the fear under your feet, and embrace the divine qualities of faith, hope, and love.
How do you press forward? Nephi answers, “Ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men” (2 Nephi 31:20).
Pressing forward with steadfastness in Christ means having faith in Him. It means making Him the central focus of your thoughts and actions. When it is He you are following, pressing forward is the ultimate adventure.
Pressing forward means pushing away the “temptations and cares” of the world and keeping the commandments with exactness. “If ye love me,” Jesus said, “keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
Nephi adds that with our steadfastness in Christ comes a perfect brightness of hope and a love of God and all men. Hope smiles brightly before us. We find peace even in difficulties. Discipleship allows us to see our true purposes on the earth. Those purposes center in helping our family, those we love, and those around us. They include building the kingdom of God, and as we do, we become who we should become.
Nephi tells us that we must press forward, feasting upon the words of Christ. He tells us that with the gift of the Holy Ghost, we can speak with (and understand) the tongue of angels (see 2 Nephi 32:2–5). I know this voice. It is a voice we must continually be ready to hear.
As you righteously press forward, Jesus Christ “will lead you along” (D&C 78:18) and you will know with even greater certainty of His reality and His love for you. As you press forward in faith, the Holy Ghost will tell you and show you those things that you should do (see 2 Nephi 32:5).