President James E. Faust warned about the hazards of "living on the edge" in his priesthood session address Saturday evening.

"So many times young people are enticed to go to the very edge or even beyond it," said President Faust, second counselor in the First Presidency. "With only a precarious toehold, it is easy to be seriously injured or even die. Life is too precious to throw away in the name of excitement, or as Jacob said in the Book of Mormon, `looking beyond the mark.' (See Jacob 4:14.)"Strength, manliness and identity are found not from needlessly exposing oneself to danger, physical or moral, he counseled, but from honoring one's priesthood, developing talents and serving the Lord.

"Each of you will have to work very hard to qualify for your eternal potential," he said. "It will not be easy. Finding your true identity will tax your ability far beyond climbing a dangerous cliff or speeding in a car or on a motorcycle. It will require all of your strength, stamina, intelligence and courage."

Each priesthood holder must take responsibility for his decisions about how close he lives to the edge, President Faust said, quoting Nephi about men being redeemed from the fall and being free "to act for themselves and not to be acted upon." (2 Ne. 2:26.)

"Being acted upon means somebody else is pulling the strings," he said.

Recalling his experience as a public defender early in his legal career, President Faust said he found some individuals who violated the law "abidcated their consciences" and did not feel they were to be responsible, but rather blamed their parents or society. "They did not act for themselves but were acted upon," he remarked.

Sometimes young people want every detail of appropriate and inappropriate conduct spelled out for them, perhaps so they can feel more comfortable about living close to the edge, he observed. He said his advice is if there is anything questionable about personal conduct, "don't do it."

"The Lord can do remarkable miracles with a person of ordinary ability who is humble, faithful and diligent in serving the Lord, and who seeks to improve himself," President Faust said. "This is because God is the ultimate source of power."

He promised young men their future would be beyond their dreams if they observed the following: Do not live on the edge, avoid not only evil but the appearance of evil, act rather than be acted upon, seek first the kingdom of God, and follow the counsel of Church leaders.