Brothers and sisters, we welcome you to the annual training broadcast for Seminaries and Institutes of Religion originating in Salt Lake City, Utah. I'm Chad Webb and serve as the Administrator of Seminaries and Institutes of Religion.

I am grateful to be joined by Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who serves as the chairman of the Executive Committee of the Church Board of Education,

and Elder Clark G. Gilbert of the Seventy,

who serves as the Commissioner of the Church Educational System.

We extend a heartfelt welcome to you, our teachers and leaders, viewing this broadcast in approximately 150 countries and nearly 40 languages.

We love and appreciate each of you and are deeply grateful for your service. We also express our appreciation to all those in other Church departments who are helping to make this broadcast possible.

We will begin with the Fiji Schools Choir performing "I Love to See the Temple." Following the hymn, Sister Miriam Iliana Zuniga Lopez, a coordinator in Mexico City, Mexico,

will offer the opening prayer.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for the opportunity of having us come together.

Thank Thee for the opportunity we have to listen to Thy servants.

Thank Thee for revelation.

Thank Thee for having the living prophet in these days, for President Russell M. Nelson.

And we ask Thee to bless him with strength and health so he can keep leading us. Today,

Father, we pray for the speakers who are addressing us.

We pray for us to have open hearts and minds so we can understand and receive Your word with joy.

And we can understand by the Spirit what Your will, Your vision, Your direction, so we can help the youth to deepen their conversion to Jesus Christ.

Thank Thee for Him, for His Atonement, because through Him we can make all things and we can come back to Thy presence.

We ask Thee for these things, Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

We will be privileged today to hear from Elder Clark G. Gilbert.

Elder Gilbert was sustained as a General Authority Seventy, in April 2021.

At that time, he was also assigned to serve as the commissioner of the Church Educational System.

After Elder Gilbert's remarks, he will introduce Elder D. Todd Christofferson.

I'm so grateful to Elder Gilbert and Elder Christofferson for their leadership and for their love for you.

I'm excited for us to hear from them today and share my testimony that they are called of God and are witnesses of the Lord, Jesus Christ. Following Elder Christofferson, we will watch a video recording of "Behold the Wounds in Jesus's Hands" by a combined choir of BYU students from the October 2021 General Conference.

Brother Emmanuel O. Udoh, an institute teacher from Calabar, Nigeria, will then offer our closing prayer. Before we hear from Elder Gilbert and Elder Christofferson, I am grateful to have first been invited to share a message with you.

My wife, Christi grew up near the coast in Southern California and has always loved the ocean.

One of her favorite things is to visit lighthouses.

Despite now living far from the ocean, we visited about 15 different lighthouses together, and I've learned why she loves them so much.

I am moved by the image of a lighthouse standing strong against winds and waves because it is anchored so deeply into bedrock and so securely that despite mighty storms, nothing can dislodge it from the foundation upon which it is fixed.

In a similar way, our hope is that our students will be able to stand against any storms that may come in their lives.

Thank you for providing the spiritual anchor they need and for helping them build their foundations on Jesus Christ.

Because of your incredible efforts, over the last two years, Institute has grown by 57,000 additional students, and Seminary enrollment has grown by 22,000 despite having fewer potential students.

We are now at the highest percentage of seminary students enrolled that we have ever reported. Thank you for responding to President Nelson's invitation to help gather a generation.

As he taught, "Any time you do anything that helps anyone to make and keep their covenants with God, you are helping to gather Israel."

In addition to increased enrollments, last year, over 25,000 friends of other faiths attended classes and 9,000 of them were baptized.

Thank you for your personal invitations, for working with Church leaders and parents, and for encouraging your students to invite their friends.

What you are doing is making a remarkable difference.

And it's not just in enrollment numbers.

The real difference is in the impact you're having.

Every day, lives are changing as you attend—

as they attend your classes, feel of your love and faith, and as they accept your invitation to study the scriptures and hear the voice of God. Thank you for exercising your faith to the blessing of more and more of Heavenly Father's children as you provide a spiritual anchor they so desperately need.

In an effort to continue to explore more and better ways to bless our students,

a few years ago we tested a new course in seminary. For a semester we taught first-year seminary students a revised version of the institute course "Scripture Study Fundamentals."

After one semester, students in those classes were significantly ahead of their peers in their ability to have meaningful personal scripture study

and to participate in classroom discussions.

At about the same time, a program called "Succeed in School" was having great success helping students do better in school and be more prepared for future educational opportunities.

Both experiences got Elder Gilbert's attention, and he began to strongly encourage us to consider what the Lord was teaching us.

While this was happening, discussions began with members of the Missionary Department about what more seminary could do to help prepare future missionaries. Other discussions were taking place with members of the Temple Department about helping first-time temple attenders have a meaningful temple experience and understand the covenants they would make.

Others were talking with members of the Welfare and Self-Reliance Department about helping meet a growing need for emotional resilience and self-reliance.

At the same time, a long-held desire of many to focus more on the teachings of modern prophets were also being discussed.

Like tributaries flowing into a river,

many ideas were coming together, which all seemed to be pointing us in a similar direction.

As we considered the possibilities,

we realized that seminary is in a unique position.

Other good people, such as school counselors or family therapists, can help address topics of need and can be very helpful.

But we are unique in our ability to address those topics through the lens of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

We also realized we're unique even within the Church, simply due to the amount of time we have with our youth each week.

We're also in a unique position within our own history.

Since aligning our schedule with Come, Follow Me,

we're now studying the same book of scripture as individual members, families, and other Church classes.

This made us wonder if we might be able to free up some of our valuable time to directly address specific topics within the context of our study of the scriptures.

With all of these tributaries flowing into our river of thinking,

we continued to hold on to a few foundational ideas.

We are committed to always be Christ- centered, scripture-based, and learner-focused. We will always strive to invite the Holy Ghost and focus on our objective of deepening conversion to Jesus Christ and His restored gospel.

As we prayerfully considered what all of this had to do with our efforts to bless the youth, we were reminded that Elder David A. Bednar had taught the value of studying the scriptures in three ways: sequentially, topically, and thematically. He taught, "Reading a book of scripture from beginning to end initiates the flow of living water into our lives by introducing us to important stories, gospel doctrines, and timeless principles.

Studying by topic increases the depth of our knowledge."

And Elder Bednar added, "Diligently searching to discover connections, patterns, and themes is in part what it means to feast upon the words of Christ.

This approach can open the floodgates of the spiritual reservoir, enlighten our understanding through His Spirit,

and produce a depth of gratitude for the scripture and a degree of spiritual commitment that can be received in no other way. Such searching enables us to build upon the rock of our Redeemer,

and to withstand the winds of wickedness in these latter days."

Knowing that we needed to stay true to our long and cherished history of sequential scripture teaching,

and to continue to benefit from our alignment with Come, Follow Me,

and also knowing that our youth have specific challenges and the need to prepare for their futures,

we took the following recommendation to the Board of Education.

I now read from the board minutes.

"The Administration of Seminary and Institutes of Religion recommend creating seminary curriculum that teaches the Come, Follow Me sequential approach to the scriptures 3 to 4 days each week,

and thematic lessons 1 to 2 times each week

developed from topics such as mission, temple and educational preparation, scripture study skills, emotional resilience, life skills, and teachings of latter-day prophets.

Thematic lessons would also be rooted in the scriptures and focused on the principles of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ."

The recommendation was enthusiastically approved to be implemented worldwide starting January of 2025.

Please note that each week we will continue to teach the scriptures sequentially.

It's imperative that we continue to help our students have confidence in their ability to study and understand the scriptures, and to know and live the principles they teach.

We will also continue to help youth find answers to their questions through principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge, and to gain the benefits of doctrinal mastery.

New topical lessons, referred to as life preparation lessons, will also be added to the new curriculum.

These lessons will address specific needs of our seminary students in ways that will continue to be Christ-centered, scripture-based, and learner-focused. These lessons will allow you to use the skills, experiences, and gifts you have used as sequential scripture teachers.

This is not starting over. We're not asking you to be experts on any of these new topics.

In fact, we hope none of you will take the role of parent or therapist, counselor, or specialist.

We simply ask you to stay firmly rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ,

as outlined in these new correlated and approved materials.

To help you prepare for 2025,

new materials will be sent to you in July of 2024,

which will include both the Come, Follow Me and life preparation lessons.

We encourage you to review these lessons at that time, and also encourage you to begin sharing this announcement with parents, local leaders, and school officials to help encourage more youth to enroll in seminary. By combining the approaches of sequential and thematic scripture study.

We hope to unlock a spiritual reservoir unlike any we have seen before.

Our hope is to help—our hope is to help prepare a generation of youth to know how to study the scriptures, and to be riveted to the teachings of living prophets;

a generation of emotionally resilient youth who have the skills and capacity to succeed in school, become righteous fathers and mothers, and who will lead in the Church and in their communities.

Our hope is to help a generation be prepared to understand the covenants of the temple, who are deeply committed to keep them,

and a generation of missionaries who are worthy, qualified, spiritually energized, and prepared to represent the Savior in inviting the world to come to Him.

Our hope is to prepare a generation of disciples of Jesus Christ who are deeply converted to Him and His restored gospel throughout their lives.

Thank you again for gathering a generation and for the remarkable impact you have on them. We know a lot is asked of you.

Thank you for all you are doing so marvelously well.

As you continue to exercise your faith,

I believe you will see miracles that the Lord is prepared to strengthen and protect our students and stand against the storms of these latter days.

The Lord will continue to help you. That is what He does; that is who He is.

I testify of Him in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

I'm so grateful to be able to participate with you in this worldwide training broadcast. I'm excited by what Brother Webb shared with you regarding the coming updates to our seminary curriculum.

This is an historic development that will elevate the life preparation of youth across the Church.

Grounded in Jesus Christ and anchored in the scriptures, I see young men and young women better prepared for missions, striving for their temple covenants, more emotionally resilient,

more self-reliant, and better prepared for college. To our seminary teachers.

You are part of the critical life preparation of our youth and what they will need to become disciples of Jesus Christ in the season of commotion. I hope you will see the inspiration behind these lessons, and recognize the role you will play in preparing your youth for the future that is ahead of them.

Pray for insight and inspiration to see their future path.

Seek out the conviction to inspire them to prepare.

What an amazing time to be teaching seminary and what a marvelous responsibility we share.

My remarks will now focus on our institute instructors, but the principles will have relevance to all of us who strive to listen to and amplify the words of our prophets. In the Old Testament,

Eli counsels the future prophet Samuel to respond to heaven's call by stating, "Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth."

This pattern allowed Samuel to become the mouthpiece for the Lord in his day.

Part of the miracle of a living prophet is that we have a leader who

the Lord can trust to hear Him and teach His word.

Last year, I shared five prophetic emphases that the Prophet and the Apostles have been emphasizing to our young adults. One.

Know your divine identity.

Two. Draw on the power of Jesus Christ and your covenants. Three.

Let God prevail and follow His prophet. Four. Teach truth with love. And five.

Take charge of your testimony.

Perhaps more important than the themes themselves are the specific messages that they draw from, messages that have been prophetically delivered to young adults in our day.

For example, one of the anchor messages we have tried to emphasize comes from President Nelson's worldwide devotional to young adults entitled "Choices for Eternity." The themes "Know your divine identity" and "Take charge of your testimony" come directly from that message. Last year we encouraged you to study each of these prophetic emphases.

We asked you to know them, incorporate them in your teaching and your curriculum.

More importantly, we invited you to integrate them into the way you respond to questions and the way you minister to the needs of your students.

I am grateful for so many of you who accepted those invitations and sought ways to amplify the words of our prophets and apostles to the young adults of the Church. At a baseline,

Religion and Institute faculty have been asked to update the syllabi

for the Teachings of the Living Prophets

course to include recent prophetic emphases to our young adults.

But so many of you have also recognized how the words of living prophets can strengthen and amplify other scripture- based courses.

For example, a BYU instructor found ways to connect the talk "Choices for Eternity" and other prophetic messages to her Religion 275 Teachings and Doctrine of the Book of Mormon course.

She stated, "The teachings of the Book of Mormon are strengthened by these current prophetic emphases, and vice versa. It really makes a difference in understanding gospel principles to put those two resources together." An institute coordinator in Atlanta shared how he was able to incorporate prophetic emphases into his Religion 250 Jesus Christ and the Everlasting Gospel course. For example, in lesson two, Strengthen your Testimony of Jesus Christ,

he was able to incorporate the themes of divine identity and taking charge of your testimony from President Nelson's "Choices for Eternity." In lesson 10,

Following Jesus Christ's example of Submission,

he had the class focus on the talk "Let God Prevail."

And in lesson 18, Receiving the Savior's Divine Gift of Grace, he focused on President Nelson's talk, "The Everlasting Covenant."

Others have described how having a deep familiarity with these prophetic emphases helps them organically address gospel questions. A university institute faculty shared how a discussion around temple attendance in a class discussion allowed him to turn to President Nelson's talk "The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation."

He shared, quote, "By using the words of President Nelson,

the message of keep going was clear to those who are struggling to find joy in their temple service." An institute teacher in Panama shared how teachings from President Nelson and Elder Neil L. Andersen helped them respond as peacemakers on an issue that had created great divisions locally.

Another instructor shared how, when he was asked why God can't—

why we can't ignore God's laws if people struggle, he was able to turn to Elder D. Todd Christofferson's talk

"The First Commandment First."

As we continue to emphasize the teachings of living prophets, we are seeing the fruits of our efforts show up in our students themselves

as they draw on the prophetic emphases. In Answering My Gospel Questions class, one Institute instructor described a question around LGBTQ issues where students immediately referenced President Nelson's message on knowing your divine identity in "Choices for Eternity." Another described how students referenced President Oak's message to "Stand Fast with Love in Proclaiming Truth" when facing difficult questions in a discussion with his peers.

I have received my own personal impressions to amplify prophetic emphases to young adults.

Last winter, I team taught a semester-long Teachings of the Living Prophets course with Dean Scott Esplin.

In the course, we highlighted each of the five prophetic emphases.

As we discussed these themes with our students, it was clear to me how powerful current prophetic counsel is for these young adults in this critical season of their lives.

The class helped me refine the way I taught these principles, and it helped me better understand what parts of these messages I should draw on when young adults have questions.

Another impression I received was to participate in a series of institute workshops.

As you are aware, part of our Innovate Institute initiative includes the creation of shorter form workshops that help bring people to institute who might not already be coming.

Working first with the Logan Institute at Utah State University, then the Salt Lake Institute at the University of Utah,

and more recently in Africa at the Kinshasa Institute in the DRC,

we developed a two-part workshop anchored on President Nelson's talk "Choices for Eternity."

The first week session focused on the prophetic emphasis to know your divine identity.

The second week session focused on the prophetic emphasis to take charge of your testimony.

These are the first and last prophetic emphases we have asked you to amplify.

After the first session, I invited my students to bring a friend for the second session—bring a friend who might be struggling with faith questions around his or her testimony. In one workshop, the attendance nearly doubled.

As we continue to use workshops to increase relevance and access to institute, I would extend an invitation to each of our institute faculty to find opportunities to develop targeted workshops focusing on the prophetic emphases we have outlined.

I would encourage you to give special attention to the teachings of President Nelson, with an emphasis on his anchor message "Choices for Eternity."

Since we shared our original counsel to amplify the prophetic emphases to young adults, we have received additional counsel from the Lord through His living servants and worldwide young adult devotionals and in general conference. In his fall 2023 worldwide message to young adults,

Elder Quentin L. Cook reinforced President Nelson's counsel to know your divine identity. He stated that part of the challenge in finding faith in God stems from anxiety around our true identity. Elder Cook explained,

"President Russell M. Nelson has addressed this in a powerful way.

He has emphasized three enduring designations: child of God,

child of the covenant, and disciple of Jesus Christ."

Later in his remarks, Elder Cook reinforced President Nelson's theme to take charge of your testimony when he stated, quote,

"Every generation faces circumstances that can lead to a challenge to their faith.

Each generation needs to discover and obtain their own knowledge and testimony of God."

In his worldwide devotional to young adults in May 2023, President Dallin H. Oaks reminded us to stand for truth with love by emphasizing the two great commandments.

He cited his own fellow Apostle, Elder D. Todd Christofferson's statement,

quote, "Put the first commandment first does not diminish our ability to keep the second commandment. To the contrary, it amplifies and strengthens it.

Our love of God elevates our ability to love others more fully and perfectly, because we, in essence, partner with God in the care of His children."

President Oaks then reminds us,

"We can still love others and find common ground without compromising the truth we know." In his most recent general conference address entitled "Think Celestial," President Nelson extended this same prophetic emphasis to stand for truth even when challenged, stating, quote, "Public opinion is not the arbiter of truth.

When someone you love attacks truth, think celestial, and don't question your testimony."

As part of this worldwide training, I am also reinforcing my previous invitation to study and apply the current prophetic emphases for young adults. As seminary and institute teachers, one of the ways we can say, "Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth," is to listen to and carefully study the words of the Lord as revealed to His living prophets.

We can become a prophetic echo of the instruction prophets are already sharing with our young adults.

As part of my calling as a General Authority,

I am to be a witness of the Savior.

Another responsibility the Seventy carry is to be a resource to the Twelve before any other. I am here today on assignment with Elder D. Todd Christofferson, whom I support in my role as the Commissioner of Education, and in his role as the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Church Board of Education.

I try to be a resource to Elder Christofferson as part of that assignment. But even when I'm not assigned with Elder Christofferson, I work to amplify the counsel and teachings of each of the Apostles, and especially the Prophet of the Church.

When I am in an ecclesiastical setting, at a stake conference or in a leadership meeting,

most of my messages are simply an amplification of the words of the prophets and the apostles.

Likewise, when I counsel and minister to others,

I draw on the words of these brethren.

In the case of religious education, the Prophet and the Apostles speak on behalf of the Lord to His young people.

We have a responsibility to know and amplify those messages.

Brothers and sisters, our young adults live in perilous times,

but the Lord has prepared prophets who have the calling and the capacity to say, "Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth."

May we too have the courage, the discipline, and the faith to hear their words, and in doing so, carry God's message to His children across the earth. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

It is now my privilege and opportunity to introduce our keynote speaker.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson was called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 5, 2008. Elder Christofferson has supervisory responsibilities for multiple areas of the Church, including his current assignments with the Utah Area and Africa West Areas.

As previously mentioned, he is also currently assigned as the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Church Board of Education.

Beyond any specific assignment, all of the Twelve have a special calling to be a special witness of the name of the Savior. I observed this distinction observing Elder Christofferson when we are assigned together for an on-site visit to the BYU–Hawaii campus. Elder Holland was previously assigned to preside, but due to a last-minute conflict, that responsibility suddenly fell on Elder Christofferson.

He assumed the presiding role admirably,

but in one of our meetings he said something that has always resonated with me. He said, "In the end, no matter our area or topical responsibility,

our anchor assignment is to be a special witness of the name of Christ in all the world."

As he spoke those words in Laie Hawaii,

the Spirit witnessed to me of the sacred nature of Elder Christofferson's calling

and how he honors that call with dignity and care.

It will now be our privilege to hear from Elder Christofferson.

Elder Christofferson.

It is a blessing to address you.

You who do so much to lead younger generations to Christ.

Yours is the work of teaching and conversion.

Your companion is the Holy Spirit. Your reward is indescribable. In

the Savior's words, "How great shall be your joy in the kingdom of my Father."

I appreciate what we've heard from the Commissioner of Education, Elder Clark G. Gilbert, and the Administrator of Seminaries and Institutes, Brother Chad H. Webb.

I admire and enjoy serving with both men.

I endorse the wise direction and counsel we've just received from each. They know whereof they speak.

I'm excited about the growth in both seminary and institute that Brother Webb reported.

Congratulations and thanks to all who have had any role in that.

I hope you'll remember Elder Gilbert's words about studying and amplifying the prophetic emphases of President Russell M. Nelson, together with others of the apostles and prophets.

The examples he cited about how this is being done and done effectively are especially helpful.

You may be able to duplicate various of them and find inspiration for other applications in your circumstances.

This is an important initiative in Church education

and will bear vital fruit. I'm particularly excited,

intrigued even, by what Brother Webb has announced regarding thematic lessons in seminary. He stressed that we'll continue to use our sequential scriptures approach as the foundation for the seminary curriculum,

but that we will add a variety of lessons in most weeks that treat such themes as missions, the temple, educational preparation, scripture study skills, emotional resilience, life skills,

teachings of the latter day prophets, etc.

To me, this seems like adding some extra fruit and a fresh pinch of seasoning to the pie.

It's going to be delicious, and with you I'm anxious to learn from this approach, and I rejoice in being able to provide something extra to those who make the effort and sacrifices to be in seminary. Anyway, enjoy the pie.

I'd like to speak to a concern that seems to plague us as never before in our younger generations.

I'm referring to very real feelings of anxiety and depression

and the bitter fruit that these feelings can engender,

including at the extreme substance abuse, self-harm, and even suicide.

A few statistics. Globally, between 2004 and 2021, reports of clinical depression among teenagers

rose from 16.1% to 29.2% for females,

and from 5% to 11.5% for males.

Among adolescents ages 12 to 17 years,

21% had experienced a major depressive episode at least once in their lives

and 15% in the past year.

These figures do not take into account the lesser but significant challenge of non-clinical depression and anxiety that affect many more youth.

According to WebMD, nearly 60% of those who suffer from anxiety also suffer from depression, and vice versa. Church longitudinal studies of member youth showed that globally in 2018,

29% struggled with clinical levels of anxiety.

Of course, this varies by country and may not be representative of all youth in each country, but the figure for clinical anxiety was, for example, in the United States 28%, Chile 32%, France and Belgium 16%,

South Africa 46%, Taiwan 18%, New Zealand 32%,

Of course, many factors may contribute to or be associated with the development of depression and anxiety.

In some cases, there could be genetic factors at work.

There are also a number of external factors that can play a role, such as adversity, including trauma and neglect;

exposure to stress; parenting styles; sexual orientation;

peer and social group influence; school factors; and temperament, among others.

One relatively new factor associated with the increased prevalence of anxiety and depression is social media use.

And this has drawn the attention of and warnings from the office of the U.S. Surgeon General.

In the United States, it's estimated that 95% of teenagers have social media links, with nearly two thirds using social media every day.

Studies have found that these teenagers spend an average of 3.5 hours per day on social media, and report that it negatively affects their self perceptions.

There are certain patterns of online engagement that predict negative outcomes: cyberbullying, sexting, and doomscrolling, for example.

"Doomscrolling," by the way, for those of you who, like me, have never heard of it, refers to spending long periods of time on one's phone or computer focusing on negative news stories.

Apparently, for some that habit is compulsive

and somehow darkly comforting.

Passive uses of social media, that is spending time reviewing social media content aimlessly, increases feelings of inferiority and negative comparison,

while active or purposeful social media use, such as posting, commenting, and connecting, does not have the same negative associations.

Research has also shown that there are certain protective factors that can help deter anxiety and depression. These include physical activity,

affection, persistence, and self-control.

I personally believe that much of discouragement and anxiety comes from failing to understand or remember God's plan

and trust in His power when troubles arise.

Without the conviction of God's reality, His love, and His plan of happiness for His children,

young minds can see their future as bleak and fragile.

Now, we're not looking for seminary and institute instructors to become counselors or mental health specialists.

Rather, we provide a counterweight to factors in society that contribute to the increasing levels of anxiety and oppression.

We're the purveyors of hope. We're the voice of hope—

the hope rooted in faith and trust in God.

An understanding of our Heavenly Father's plan of redemption, especially the key element of that plan— the Atonement of Jesus Christ—

provides ultimate reassurance.

It builds and preserves spiritual and emotional resilience,

knowing the why of our existence and our purpose in mortal life.

We teach by precept and example to whom they may look for deliverance and support.

Let the Savior's words live in their hearts:

"These things I have spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace

in the world ye shall have tribulation.

But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

Our covenants bind us to Him, and with Him we also overcome the world.

We can help students and others establish their personal foundation on "the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God,

so that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind; yea,

when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon [them],

it shall have no power over [them] to drag [them] down to the gulf of misery and endless woe." President Russell M. Nelson expressed it this way:

"The Lord has declared that despite today's unprecedented challenges,

those who build their foundations upon Jesus Christ and have learned how to draw upon His power need not succumb to the unique anxieties of this era.

We have an incomparable opportunity with this year's course of study, the Book of Mormon. No other scripture so clearly lays out the plan of redemption. No other volume teaches more persuasively the reality and meaning of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

No other part of the scriptural canon possesses the converting power of the Book of Mormon in its witness that Jesus is the Christ

and that He has overcome death, both physical and spiritual.

The Book of Mormon is a plain exposition of gospel truth

and the joy that is found in following gospel commandments.

Its narrative is filled with examples of overcoming.

The Book of Mormon is the word of God, and the virtue of the word of God is that it produces faith in the Savior—

faith that pushes out the doubt, depression,

and anxiety that might otherwise overwhelm us,

and leaving in their place strength and reassurance.

Consider a few examples. There's a familiar promise stated by King Benjamin:

"And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God.

For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual.

And if they hold out faithful to the end, they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness.

Oh, remember, remember that these things are true,

for the Lord God hath spoken it."

Remember the reassuring declaration of Nephi as he faced persecution and depression at the time of his father's death:

"Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth,

O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of mine iniquities. I'm encompassed about because of the temptations and sins which do so easily beset me.

And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins.

Nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.

Oh, then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath visited me in so much mercy,

why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow,

and my flesh waste away and my strength slacken because of my afflictions?

O Lord, I have trusted in thee and I will trust in thee forever."

Alma related the joy of being born again and then relying on God:

"And now for three days and for three nights was I racked even with the pains of a damned soul.

And it came to pass that I was thus wracked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins.

Behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.

Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart, O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.

And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more.

Yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.

And oh, what joy and what marvelous light I did behold! Yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain. Yea, and from that time, even until now, I've labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance,

that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy which I did taste,

that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

And I have been supported under trials and troubles of every kind.

Yea, and all manner of afflictions. Yea,

God has delivered me from prison, from bonds and from death. Yea, and I do put my trust in him. And he will still deliver me."

Who could have had any more reason for anxiety and deep depression than Mormon,

who lamented: "A continual scene of wickedness and abominations has been before mine eyes ever since I have been sufficient to behold the ways of man." Yet, despite a lifetime of war and trauma,

he could say to Moroni, "My son, be faithful in Christ,

and may not the things which I have written grieve thee to weigh thee down unto death,

but may Christ lift thee up.

And may his sufferings and death,

and the showing of his body unto our fathers, his resurrection,

and his mercy, and longsuffering, and the hope of his glory, and of eternal life rest in your mind forever."

Alma described the Savior's own example of dealing with incomprehensible suffering and how we, rather than despair, may turn to Him for relief and healing:

"And he shall go forth suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind,

and this, that the word might be fulfilled, which saith, he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

And he will take upon him death

that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people,

and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy according to the flesh, that he may know how, according to the flesh, to succor his people according to their infirmities.

The Son of God hath according to the flesh, that he might take upon him the sins of his people,

that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance.

And now, behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

Now I say unto you, that you must repent and be born again.

For the Spirit saith, if ye are not born again, ye cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven.

Therefore come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye may be washed from your sins, that ye may have faith on the Lamb of God,

who taketh away the sins of the world, who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all unrighteousness."

In the Book of Mormon, we learn the true meaning and process of being born again

and becoming a saint through the Atonement of Christ the Lord.

If we can lead our youth and young adults to spiritual rebirth,

depression will evaporate

and any anxiety in their lives,

such as may come in delivering a talk to be broadcast worldwide, will be quite manageable.

Even death itself cannot threaten their peace once they've been born of the Spirit and have learned to trust in God.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell once spoke of the human predicament,

the fact that everything ends in death."

"Our accomplishments, our acquisitions, our associations all have an end.

And if there's nothing more, then, as the preacher says in Ecclesiastes,

'all is vanity and vexation of spirit.'

Death is a fact, and we are forced to acknowledge that without a power that overcomes death, our lives would have little enduring purpose.

Fortunately, we know that death has been overcome.

Life has purpose and meaning, and all is not vanity. By His

Atonement, Jesus Christ has overcome the human predicament of death. And now," as Elder Maxwell observed,

"there are only personal predicaments— our individual sins, mistakes, and failings. And from these too we may be rescued by following the teachings of Him who rescued us from general extinction."

In all of this, we are promoting the longer view

captured in President Nelson's recent phrase "Think celestial!"

We must help the rising generation reject the "eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die" attitude increasingly evident in many cultures.

This defeatist approach to life ignores the great plan of redemption and happiness, and focuses only on immediate pleasures.

It leads to unsustainable patterns in ways of life.

It's a direct road to debilitating anxiety and devastating depression.

President Nelson addressed this issue in his general conference address last October. He counseled, "Mortality is a master class in learning to choose the things of greatest, eternal import.

Far too many people live as though this life is all there is.

However, your choices today will determine three things:

where you will live throughout all eternity,

the kind of body with which you'll be resurrected,

and those with whom you'll live forever. So think celestial."

In a book he recently published titled "Heart of the Matter,"

(where he got the idea of heart, I'm not sure),

President Nelson elaborated on this thought, citing

a frightening personal experience. He said, "Several times in my life I've come face to face with death.

One of those occurred in Maputo, Mozambique, in late May 2009.

While dining at the mission home there with Elder William W Parmley, the Africa Southeast Area President, and his wife Shanna.

And with Mozambique Maputo Mission President Blair J. Packard and his wife, Cindy, three men armed with automatic weapons burst into the room.

In the melee that followed, one robber put a gun to my head

and announced they were there to kill me and abduct my wife

and then pulled the trigger. The gun made a clicking sound but did not fire.

The misfire infuriated the robber,

who then kicked me in the face and knocked me to the floor.

I was certain that this was the end for me.

I remember thinking, 'I'm about to pass out of this life and go into the next.

This is going to be a very interesting experience.'

At the same time, another robber shoved a pistol into Wendy's back, began rocking her chair in an attempt to pull her from it, saying, 'You're coming with us! You're coming with us!'

And through a series of miraculous events, and thanks in no small part to the heroic actions of Sister Cindy Packard, our lives were spared.

However, as I had on several previous frightening occasions,

I realize how fragile life is, and how relatively few things there are in this world that have eternal significance. As those robbers threatened our lives, I was not thinking about awards or educational degrees or commendations. I was thinking about my family and the covenants I had made with the Lord.

I fear that too many, too many of us are living our lives as though this life is all there is.

And that life will not continue after death, and that what we do here has no bearing on the future.

That is simply not true. It is imperative that we not get distracted and pulled off the covenant path by the world's shiny objects,

meaning the honors and attentions of men.

Those events are of no importance whatsoever in the next world.

What will matter is if we have made covenants with God and kept them," unquote.

My prayer is that we will be able to help all those with whom we have any influence make covenants with God and keep them.

Help them cultivate faith and trust in God and find hope.

Help them repent and abide in the Savior's redeeming grace and find peace. Help them be born again as children of Christ, His sons and His daughters, and find joy.

And may you receive the pleasing word of God, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

I give you my firm and sure witness of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The fact of His Resurrection proves the truth of what we teach in the gospel of Jesus Christ,

and confirms that He has all power in heaven and in earth.

That He can and will fulfill His promises. He lives.

You are His under shepherds.

And I bless you with His love and with greater capacity to teach and care for His lambs. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Our Father in Heaven, we are so grateful today for this S and I online training broadcast.

We thank Thee for the Spirit we have felt,

and we are so grateful to Thee for all those who have taught us.

We pray that as we go forward that we will put into practice the things that we have learned.

We pray that Thou will guide and direct us and have Thy Spirit to be with us

that we might do that which is pleasing unto Thee.

We are grateful to Thee for the youth and the young adults of the Church,

and pray that Thou will bless them with the strength and capacity to keep Thy commandments, and to serve Thee in righteousness.

We pray for our families, members, for our

spouses and our children that that Thou wilt bless them.

Please bless the missionaries across the world.

Help them to be able to identify those who need Thee, Thy Son, and Thy gospel.

We also pray that Thou will bless all those who desire to know Thee with open hearts that they may accept Thy truth and live by them.

These things we pray humbly in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, amen.