Lesson 179: For the Strength of Youth: Making Choices

Sustaining Our Leaders

Following Those the Lord Calls to Lead

We can be good leaders in many ways. One way is by being good followers. We show faith in Jesus Christ as we sustain leaders who are called under His direction. This lesson is intended to help students understand the importance of sustaining those the Lord calls to lead.

Possible Learning Activities

Willing to follow

Consider displaying the following scenario to help students reflect on the importance of sustaining, or supporting, those the Lord calls to lead:

Imagine that a friend of yours was baptized less than a year ago and was just called to be the president of your class or quorum. You have been faithful in the gospel for longer, and you feel that your friend is not as qualified as you or others to be class or quorum president.

• How can you adjust your thinking to be a supportive class or quorum member?

• What can you do to support your friend in this calling?

You might ask students if they, or someone they know, have had an experience similar to this. How did they respond?

One example of being willing to follow those the Lord has called is Hyrum Smith. Though he was six years older than his brother Joseph, Hyrum supported Joseph in his calling.

President M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared the following about Hyrum:

Hyrum Smith: Firm As the Pillars of Heaven

[Hyrum] assisted and served his brother, Joseph the Prophet, throughout the long and arduous process of the Restoration. …

Through it all, Hyrum stood firm. He knew the course his life would take, and he consciously chose to follow it. To Joseph, Hyrum became companion, protector, provider, confidant, and eventually joined him as a martyr. Unjust persecution engulfed them throughout their lives. Although he was older, Hyrum recognized his brother’s divine mantle. While he gave Joseph strong counsel on occasion, Hyrum always deferred to his younger brother. (M. Russell Ballard, “Hyrum Smith: ‘Firm as the Pillars of Heaven,’” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 6–7)

• What could have made it difficult for someone in Hyrum’s situation to follow Joseph as his priesthood leader?

• What Christlike attributes might have helped Hyrum be willing to follow Joseph? (see Doctrine and Covenants 124:15).

Read Doctrine and Covenants 124:94–96, looking for how Hyrum was blessed for his willingness to follow his younger brother. (Note that verse 94 is referring to Hyrum, not Joseph.)

• What blessings did you find in these verses?

Sustaining leaders

Explain that one way we can demonstrate our willingness to follow our leaders is by sustaining them. It might be helpful to assess how well students understand what it means to sustain. One way you could do this is to have students write their own definition of what it means to sustain. Then invite them to compare what they wrote with the definition from the Guide to the Scriptures: “To pledge support to those serving in general and local Church leadership positions” (Guide to the Scriptures, “Sustaining Church Leaders,” Gospel Library).

President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency made the following observation about sustaining those the Lord calls to lead.

The Power of Sustaining Faith

By raising your hand to sustain, you make a promise. You make a promise with God, whose servants these are, that you will sustain them.

These are imperfect human beings, as are you. Keeping your promises will take unshakable faith that the Lord called them. Keeping those promises will also bring eternal happiness. (Henry B. Eyring, “The Power of Sustaining Faith,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 58–59)

• How would you summarize President Eyring’s teachings?

• What did he teach about exercising faith in Jesus Christ?

Help students identify the following truth: We exercise faith in Jesus Christ when we sustain those He calls to lead.

• Why do you think it requires faith in Jesus Christ to sustain leaders?

• When have you felt blessed for choosing to sustain someone God called to lead you?

If students struggle to think of an example, you might share your own experience or testimony about sustaining someone God called to lead you.

Trusting in Christ to sustain those called to lead

Help students better understand how the principle of trusting Christ as they sustain those He calls applies to their lives. One way to do this is by displaying the following scenarios or creating others that are more applicable to your students. Consider inviting students to choose a scenario to have in mind as they study one or more sections of the handout. Students could also use the scenario from the beginning of class.

Amanda’s Young Women class presidency was just reorganized. The girl called to be the president is someone who has been unkind to Amanda in the past.

Josh is a hardworking missionary. His mission president recently announced a mission rule that Josh does not like.

Jossie’s good friend was just called as their class president. Jossie expected her friend to ask her to be in the presidency, but she didn’t.

Cade was asked to serve as his quorum president. He is shy and does not like making decisions. He worries about how effective he will be leading his quorum and presidency.

The handout titled “Teachings about Sustaining Those Called to Lead” can help students understand how the truth they identified can apply to the scenario they chose and to their own lives.

One way to review the handout is to set up stations around the room. Students could rotate through the stations and quietly study each section of the handout, looking for and recording insights that apply to their scenario. Students could then divide into groups or pairs and share what they learned.

Another way to review the handout is to put students into groups of four and assign each group member a section from the handout. Students could study their section, looking for how it relates to their scenario. Then each student could teach their group what they learned.

Teachings about Sustaining Those Called to Lead

Section 1

President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency taught:

Your leader in the Lord’s Church may seem to you weak and human or may appear to you strong and inspired. The fact is that every leader is a mixture of those traits and more. What helps servants of the Lord who are called to lead us is when we can see them as the Lord did when He called them.

The Lord sees His servants perfectly. He sees their potential and their future. And He knows how their very nature can be changed. He also knows how they can be changed by their experiences with the people they will lead. …

… If you have faith that the Lord leads His Church through revelation to those imperfect servants He calls, the Lord will open the windows of heaven to them, as He will to you. (Henry B. Eyring, “The Lord Leads His Church,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 83–84)

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Section 2

Brother Stephen W. Owen, formerly the Young Men General President, said:

There will be times in your life when you are called upon to lead. At other times, you will be expected to follow. But my message to you today is that regardless of your calling, you are always a leader, and you are always a follower. Leadership is an expression of discipleship—it is simply a matter of helping others come unto Christ, which is what true disciples do. If you are striving to be a follower of Christ, then you can help others follow Him and you can be a leader.

Your ability to lead does not come from an outgoing personality, motivational skills, or even a talent for public speaking. It comes from your commitment to follow Jesus Christ. (Stephen W. Owen, “The Greatest Leaders Are the Greatest Followers,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2016, 75)

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Section 3

Read the following verses:

Doctrine and Covenants 107:22 (Notice ways this verse teaches us to sustain the First Presidency. Think about how these ways to sustain could apply to other callings as well.)

Exodus 17:9–12 (Notice how Moses was sustained as Israel fought the people of Amalek.)

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Section 4

Brother Stephen W. Owen, formerly the Young Men General President, taught:

[Jesus Christ] is the greatest leader because He is the greatest follower—He follows His Father perfectly, in all things. (Stephen W. Owen, “The Greatest Leaders Are the Greatest Followers,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2016, 75)

As you read these verses, notice ways Jesus followed His Father and ways Jesus was strengthened as He did so.

Luke 22:41–43

John 12:49–50

Reflecting on what you’ve learned

Consider inviting students to share with a partner or group what they think is important for youth in the Church to know from today’s lesson and why.

After students have had time to share, invite them to quietly reflect on the following questions and to be open to impressions they might receive from the Holy Ghost:

• How well are you doing at sustaining those the Lord has asked you to follow?

• How can you exercise faith in the Savior to better sustain those called to lead?

You might conclude the lesson by sharing how you have been blessed by exercising faith in Jesus Christ as you have sustained Church leaders.

Additional Resources

How can sustaining leaders help them better fulfill their calling?

President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency taught the following:

It takes [great] faith to believe that the Lord has called imperfect human servants to lead you. … My hope is to build your faith that the Lord is inspiring the imperfect persons He has called as your leaders. …

… A bishop is sometimes called to serve people who know him well. Ward members know something of his human weaknesses and his spiritual strengths, and they know that others in the ward could have been called—others who seem better educated, more seasoned, more pleasant, or even better looking.

These members have to know the call to serve as a bishop came from the Lord, by revelation. Without their faith, the bishop, who was called of God, will find it harder to get the revelation he needs to help them. He will not succeed without the faith of the members to sustain him. …

For a leader to succeed in the Lord’s work, the people’s trust that he is called of God must override their view of his infirmities and mortal weaknesses. …

… The faith of the people we serve, sometimes more than our own faith, brings us revelation in the Lord’s service. (Henry B. Eyring, “The Lord Leads His Church,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 82–84)

What can result from not supporting or sustaining leaders?

President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency taught:

We are commanded by God not to judge others unrighteously, but in practice, we find that hard to avoid. Almost everything we do in working with people leads us to evaluate them. And in almost every aspect of our lives, we compare ourselves with others. We may do so for many reasons, some of them reasonable, but it often leads us to be critical.

President George Q. Cannon gave a warning that I pass on to you as my own. I believe he spoke the truth: “God has chosen His servants. He claims it as His prerogative to condemn them, if they need condemnation. He has not given it to us individually to censure and condemn them. No man, however strong he may be in the faith, however high in the Priesthood, can speak evil of the Lord’s anointed and find fault with God’s authority on the earth without incurring His displeasure. The Holy Spirit will withdraw himself from such a man, and he will go into darkness. This being the case, do you not see how important it is that we should be careful?” (Henry B. Eyring, “The Power of Sustaining Faith,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 59)

President James E. Faust (1920–2007) of the First Presidency shared:

Disrespect for ecclesiastical leaders has caused many to suffer spiritual weakening and downfall. We should look past any perceived imperfections, warts, or spots of the men [and women] called to preside over us, and uphold the office which they hold. (James E. Faust, “Called and Chosen,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2005, 55)

Supplemental Learning Activities

Alternate beginning

You could display some or all of the following three temple recommend questions (see For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices [2022], 36). You might ask students what they understand about sustaining and how they think sustaining our leaders prepares us to worship in God’s temple and become like Him.

• Do you sustain the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the prophet, seer, and revelator and as the only person on the earth authorized to exercise all priesthood keys?

• Do you sustain the members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators?

• Do you sustain the other General Authorities and local leaders of the Church?

Jesus Christ as a follower

You might ask students if they can think of examples when the Savior was a humble follower. Then have them read the following passages:

• Luke 2:48–51

• John 5:30; 6:38

• 2 Nephi 31:6–7

• Moses 4:2

• What impresses you from the Savior’s example of being a good follower?

• Why do you think being a good follower made Jesus a better leader?

Following imperfect people

Nephi’s example in 1 Nephi 16 shows us how we can sustain and follow those who are imperfect. You could share with students that when Nephi was hunting for food in the wilderness, he broke his bow. His family, including his father, the prophet Lehi, began to murmur against God because of their afflictions (see verses 18–20).

Invite students to read 1 Nephi 16:23, looking for how Nephi showed humble willingness to follow an imperfect leader.

• Why might this have been difficult for Nephi?

Students could read 1 Nephi 16:24–32, looking for what happened because of Nephi’s choice to sustain his father.