'Life is a journey'
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Life is a journey, designed for "each of us" by a loving Heavenly Father, President Henry B. Eyring told young women worldwide on March 29.
"Each of us has unique experiences and characteristics, but our journey began in the same place before we were born into this world."
President Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency, was the main speaker during the broadcast of the General Young Women Meeting from the Conference Center in Salt Lake City. On a brisk early spring evening here, young women from along the Wasatch front began gathering long before the meeting began, standing in lines with mothers and Young Women leaders.
President Thomas S. Monson presided over the meeting; he was seated on the stand with his counselors, President Eyring and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf. Also present were Elder Russell M. Nelson and Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve and Elder Bruce C. Hafen of the Seventy.
Conducting the general meeting was Young Women General President Susan W. Tanner, who, along with her counselors, Elaine S. Dalton and Mary N. Cook, also addressed the meeting.
In his address, President Eyring continued his description of the journey through mortal life. He spoke of all mankind, before being born in the world, being taught by Elohim, "the Father of our spirits. We loved Him and wanted to be like Him and to be with Him forever. He told us plainly what it would require for us to have that joy."
He said that Heavenly Father explained that these requirements included receiving a physical body with its powerful cravings for physical satisfaction and being subject to illness and death. "We would make the journey through life without a memory of our time with Him in the Spirit World. And the only way back to Him would be for us to overcome physical death and the effects of sin which would come from our breaking the commandments. He told us that we could not overcome the effects of either death or sin by ourselves without our having a Savior. ..."
When this plan was offered, there was rebellion in the Spirit World, President Eyring continued, from those who did not want to depend on a Savior nor run any risk of not returning to Heavenly Father. "Every one of you was among the brave, the faithful and the true in the conflict. You accepted the Savior and the plan for this journey to return to the joy of our Heavenly Father's presence."
Continuing, President Eyring told the young women that they were remarkable even among those who chose the right. "You qualified to come into mortality and to make this journey at a time when the gospel of Jesus Christ was on the earth."
As a free gift at birth, each person receives the light of Christ, a sense between right and wrong. When confirmed a member of the Church, "you were given the right to have the Holy Ghost as your companion. The Holy Ghost is a powerful source of light to recognize truth, to follow and love the Lord Jesus Christ, and to find your way back to God after this life."
But the spirit who led the rebellion in the Spirit World still opposes the plan and "wants you to be miserable" and is the "enemy of your soul." He knows of each young woman's goodness and capability to influence generations. "If he can get you to wander in your journey away from the light, he can do harm and bring misery to many.
"The fact that you are listening now is evidence that God recognizes your great importance and that you have chosen to walk in the light He offers you. Such choices are not always easy to see early."
The choices one makes in life move one toward light or away from the light, President Eyring explained. "Some of the most important choices are about what you set your heart upon."
The things one may consider desirable include the need for friends. "All of us are searching for some evidence that we are persons of worth. We make choices based on those desires. Some might lead us away from the light God offers us as a guide. Some may brighten that light by which we can find our way."
Speaking of his own desires and choices in life, he recalled wanting to be selected for athletic teams and wanting good and true friends. "When I made the choices that came from those desires, more than I realized, I was either moving away from the light or towards it."
Through His prophets, the Lord has given the way to know how to make good choices, President Eyring declared. He quoted Moroni 7:13-15, including the phrase, "every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God."
He also quoted from verses 16-17, including the admonition, "For every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God."
"I can see now, better than I could as a young man, how I might have used that guidance. There were sports teams that had players and coaches who influenced me to do good. There were some that did not. There were friends, some of them were not members of the Church of Jesus Christ who, by their example, influenced me to do good and to remember the Savior."
Acknowledging how good schoolmates and teachers helped him want to do good and "enhance my feelings for the Savior," President Eyring added, "But I would have done even better had I understood both the importance of my choices and the way to choose."
Reminding the congregation that it is "by faith that you can lay hold upon every good thing," President Eyring declared, "I pray with all my heart that your faith will be increased that you are a daughter of a loving God. I testify to you that you have been one of the valiant ones to reach the point where you now are in this journey of life. Just as you are marked as a target by the enemy of righteousness, you have been protected and watched over by your Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
He explained that because of their value, their trials may be severe, but urged the young women not to be discouraged nor afraid. "The way through difficulties has always been prepared for you and you will find it if you exercise faith.
"You must have faith to pray. You must have faith to ponder the word of God. You must have faith to do those things and go to those places which invite the Spirit of Christ and the Holy Ghost."
Music for the evening was provided by a combined choir of young women from the Cache Valley Utah North area, directed by Merrilee Webb and accompanied by Bonnie Goodliffe. A flute solo was performed by Helen McGarr, a Laurel in the Lindon Utah Central Stake. Offering the prayers were Miranda Kuhni, a Laurel in the Park City Utah Stake, and Jennifer Thorup, a Laurel in the Salt Lake Monument Park North Stake.
E-mail to:julied@desnews.com
