A dominant theme for many people in the world today is moral relativism. Having been trained in the virtue of tolerance, they begin to adopt the view that not only are all religious beliefs and moral standards tolerable, they all are of equal value and truth.

The very confusion among creeds that led the Prophet Joseph Smith to seek truth as a boy leads many today to accept that there must be several equally acceptable roads back to our Heavenly Father.

In a recent Wall Street Journal opinion piece, Dale Buss, a journalist and author in Michigan, who also teaches Sunday school in his local evangelical Christian church, pulled together evidence researchers have found to show how this affects the beliefs of many U.S. teenagers.

For example, many teens say they believe in and love Christ. About 88 percent in the United States consider themselves Christians. And yet, only 6 percent of them agree that there are moral absolutes in life. A majority of teens who profess to be Christian do not believe in the literal resurrection of Jesus, and approximately 60 percent believe Christ probably committed some sins when He was on earth.

Buss believes this "largely reflects a pseudo-faith that is fed by a steady diet of pop-culture feints" that tend to make Christianity trendy or popular. Yet he notes, "the consequences of this theological implosion now pervade the thoughts and actions of believing teenagers, following the moral breakdown of the broader American culture."

In other words, it's hard to follow commandments when you don't believe those commandments really matter. That attitude can affect other aspects of life, as well, making compromises easy when pressures mount.

So it was that, when the pope recently released a statement urging people to participate less in sports on Sunday and honor the Sabbath, many in the world reacted with surprise and incredulity. Why should believers have to sacrifice and live any differently than the world?

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints know better. The youth of the Church, who are tossed around as much by the rough winds of popular culture as anyone else, are blessed with clear teachings from modern prophets, as well as with an understanding that each person has a right to receive a witness of the absolute truth of the gospel. The Lord would never leave His children to navigate these difficult times alone.

One of the greatest tools available to youth today is the pamphlet titled, "For the Strength of Youth." Its many subheadings offer young people clarity as to how the Lord would have them behave.

The Lord's message is not one of moral confusion. There is a right and a wrong way, and only the right way will lead back to His presence. In the pamphlet's preface, the First Presidency writes, "We promise that as you keep these standards and live by the truths in the scriptures, you will be able to do your life's work with greater wisdom and skill and bear trials with greater courage. You will have the help of the Holy Ghost. You will feel good about yourself and will be a positive influence in the lives of others."

This great promise, and the restoration of absolute truth, puts the youth of the Church in a unique position to be a positive influence on the rest of the world. Where moral confusion exists, they can bring certainty. Where some may waiver on the divine mission of the Savior, and of His perfect life and sacrifice, they can testify of the truth that will save souls.

Absolute truth is not always a popular possession. It often takes courage to live by standards and to decline things others take for granted. But any believer should understand that "strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life."