Spiritual Survival
The Power of Jesus Christ and Pure Doctrine with Elder Neil L. Andersen
Sunday, June 11, 2023
Opening Message
Brothers and sisters, good evening. To our religious educators gathered around the world, let me first express my heartfelt gratitude for how you teach and minister to our students. Quite literally, you have the very future of the Church in your classes. As I travel to seminary, institute, and university classes around the world, I am inspired by the way you care for students and the way you help them anchor their lives in Jesus Christ. When Mary Magdalene first addressed the resurrected Savior, the title she chose was “Rabboni.”1 The text restates this as “Master,” but in the Greek translation it is “Teacher.” What a noble calling we share as educators, to point our students to the Master Teacher, even Jesus Christ.
Following my introductory remarks, we will receive counsel from an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ on how to teach truth in a growing climate of confusion and deception. I had a recent experience that heightened my own understanding of this challenge. I was assigned with President Henry B. Eyring to BYU–Hawaii, where a student referenced President Nelson’s statement: “In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.”2 The student asked about the implications this had for young adults. I proceeded to explain how the Spirit would help them make decisions—important life choices about what to study, who to date and marry, where to work and where to live.
But President Eyring subsequently responded by restating an important qualifier in President Nelson’s statement where he described the importance of “surviving spiritually.” He pointed out that the spiritual survival we would need would go far beyond the simple life choices I had introduced. He explained how our youth and young adults will live in an era where truth would be so cleverly hidden by the adversary that without the Holy Ghost, it would be impossible—even increasingly difficult—to tell the difference between good and evil, between truth and error. Spiritual survival then became a matter of recognizing truth.
Tonight, I hope we will reflect on how to teach our students to recognize truth. I also hope we will consider our role in teaching truth with clarity and plainness. I look forward as we learn from Elder Andersen, and I witness to you that when we anchor our teaching in Jesus Christ and in pure doctrine, we create a pattern for our students to see and recognize truth—not only in our classes but throughout their lives. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Introduction to Elder Neil L. Andersen
It is now my privilege to introduce Elder Neil L. Andersen. There is much I could share about Elder Andersen—his amazing marriage and his wonderful family; his educational and business accomplishments; his service in the Church, including the Andersens’ call as mission leaders to the France Bordeaux Mission. Elder Andersen speaks French, but he also speaks Portuguese and Spanish. For some of us tonight, fortunately, he also speaks English. He has lived around the world and knows the Church wherever you are teaching and lifting our students.
But when I think of Elder Andersen, there are two traits I hope you will remember as you listen to him tonight. First, Elder Andersen watches, follows, and defends the prophet of God. I have observed this in how after general conference, Elder Andersen prints and studies the words of the prophet and then makes them part of his own teaching. I have personally witnessed Elder Andersen amplify President Nelson’s teachings on being a peacemaker; becoming righteous, intentional parents; and building our foundations on Jesus Christ. Second, Elder Andersen himself is a special witness of Jesus Christ. He carries with him this call as a sacred stewardship. On an assignment with Elder and Sister Andersen to the Air Force Academy in Colorado over a year ago, I watched him teach and testify of Jesus Christ to the young cadets who had come to hear him speak. As I observed him that evening, I felt an overwhelming impression and confirmation that I was in the presence of a special witness of Jesus Christ.
I hope you will recognize the opportunity we now have to hear from an Apostle of the Lord, one who follows the prophet and witnesses of the Savior, Jesus Christ. Elder Andersen, we look forward to your instruction.